Major League Baseball will investigate free-agent reliever Sam Dyson for domestic violence, according to Ken Rosenthal and Katie Strang of The Athletic. The investigation stems from a pair of Instagram posts authored by Dyson's ex-partner, Alexis Blackburn, who alluded to Dyson abusing both her and their cat. MLB's investigation will reportedly include an interview with Blackburn in "the near future."
Though Blackburn didn't outright name Dyson in the posts, Rosenthal and Strang confirmed with a source that he is the subject of them. Blackburn recently wrote, as part of a longer message, on her personal Instagram account: "I am broken though. I've allowed my physical health, my emotional health, and my mental health to diminish to nothing. I've allowed more things to happen than I want to admit. I don't know who this girl is right now because this hasn't been me. I haven't been me in so long."
Meanwhile, on the cat's account, Blackburn included two images -- one of the cat on a box, and another of the box laying destroyed on the ground. "As you can see in the second photo, someone I trusted with my safety, protection, and love did the unthinkable while I was inside the box," the post said. The implication being that Dyson committed animal abuse by harming the box while the cat was inside of it.
Baseball has shown a willingness to take action based on social media postings. In the past, both Derek Norris and Addison Russell have been suspended following investigations that began following Instagram posts.
Dyson, 31, is expected to miss most of the 2020 season following shoulder surgery late in the year. Earlier this winter, he elected free agency after the Minnesota Twins removed him from their roster.
