Major League Baseball did not place Cubs shortstop Addison Russell on paid administrative leave solely because of a blog post written by his former wife, Melisa Reidy.



The post alone would not have been enough for baseball to force Russell off the field under its joint domestic violence policy with the players’ union. The league had additional credible information, according to sources familiar with its investigation.



The league’s investigation includes interviews with Reidy and numerous other witnesses, and with officials gathering additional information since Russell went on leave, sources said.



Russell, 24, has one child with Reidy. Baseball reached out to another woman with whom Russell has fathered a child, the woman confirmed to The Athletic’s Katie Strang. That woman declined to comment at this time under the advice of her lawyer.



While Russell’s camp is pushing back behind the scenes, creating the potential for...