Washington Nationals Remove Former MLB Player From Their Broadcast Over Sexual Assault Allegations

Washington Nationals broadcaster F.P. Santangelo has been removed from working games after the club was made aware of a sexual misconduct allegation.

In the last week, Santangelo unexpectedly missed several game broadcasts on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic offered an explanation for Santangelo’s sporadic schedule, reporting the former player has been accused of sexual assault by a 31-year-old woman.

“Santangelo made an unwanted advance several years ago, ignored her when she repeatedly told him to stop, and sexually assaulted her,” The Athletic wrote — referencing the accuser’s claim. According to the report, the woman told The Athletic that Santangelo sent her “angry text messages and blocked her on social media after their one and only in-person interaction.”

“I don’t have any motives behind this other than I wanted to avoid this happening to other women,” the accuser added.

Santangelo has since denied any wrongdoing, texting a statement to The Athletic in response to their report.

“What I have read in your recently published article from an anonymous individual about me is untrue and did not happen,” he said. “This is not representative of who I am as a man or a professional. I am confident that my name and reputation will be fully cleared.”

The report also states the woman, who is not an employee of MASN or the Nationals, anonymously posted the allegations against Santangelo on Instagram, which is why the analyst began missing games. Santangelo returned to the broadcast booth last week, with a Nationals spokesperson declining to comment when The Washington Post inquired about his absence.

MASN has since acknowledged they were aware of the allegations against Santangelo. Which means along with the Nationals, they deemed it appropriate to allow Santangelo back to work, despite allegations of sexual assault.

“MASN refers allegations concerning broadcasters who are former Major League Baseball players directly to Major League Baseball’s Department of Investigations, as is appropriate under the circumstances,” the network said in a statement released to The Athletic. “MASN followed that policy in this instance, previously apprising MLB of this matter such that the league might adequately review it. Those former Major Leaguers acting as on-air media analysts on the network appear only with the advice and consent of the clubs and MLB.”

The Nationals also released a statement in response to Ghiroli’s Saturday report, essentially blaming MASN for allowing Santangelo back in the booth, despite the allegations.

“Late last week, we were made aware of allegations of conduct by F.P. Santangelo that are inconsistent with our values as an organization. We alerted MASN and revoked our approval of him as a member of our broadcast team. MASN assured us that they would investigate these allegations thoroughly. After MASN notified us that their investigation was complete and that F.P. should be reinstated, additional posts appeared. Once again, we notified MASN and revoked our approval of F.P. as a member of our broadcast team indefinitely. Moving forward, we will refer all questions regarding this investigation to F.P.’s employer, MASN.”

Following a seven-year MLB career as a player, Santangelo joined the Nationals broadcast booth in 2011. After being drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1989, and remaining with the franchise until 1998, Santangelo’s total time as part of the Expos/Nationals franchise totals more than 20 years.