Content warning: This article contains depictions of alleged sexual assault and abuse.
Former MLB outfielder and current Detroit Tigers broadcaster Craig Monroe was absent from the booth for about a month after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman when she was a minor, the team and Bally Sports Detroit confirmed on Monday.
Monroe is the Tigers’ lead television analyst at Bally Sports Detroit, although he hasn’t been in the booth since June 9. The team and network said in a statement last month that he was “addressing a personal matter,” but they went further in a new joint statement provided to Awful Annuncing on Monday.
“Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers are aware of the allegations on social media and take them seriously,” the Tigers and the network said in a statement. “As previously stated, Mr. Monroe was not on the broadcast schedule and this will continue indefinitely. We will have no further comment and any questions should be directed to Mr. Monroe.”
Monroe was accused on social media of sexually assaulting a woman when she was 12 years old while he was playing in the minor leagues. The abuse, she said, continued into her adult life. The woman said she initially contacted the network and staff about her claims, with no response, leading her to post them on social media last month.
Monroe played nine seasons in the MLB, starting with the Texas Rangers in 2001. He spent more than five seasons playing for the Tigers and ended his career with short stints with the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates before retiring after the 2009 campaign. He finished his career with a .252 batting average with 115 home runs and 433 RBI.
Monroe then started as a broadcaster for the Tigers in 2012 and began this season as the lead analyst for Bally Sports Detroit.
Monroe has not responded to the allegations publicly. It is unclear when he will return to his role at Bally Sports, if at all.
