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TAMPA, Florida - Former major league pitcher Dwight Gooden was arrested Sunday after he allegedly punched his fiancee in the face.

Gooden, who starred for the New York Mets and New York Yankees, was charged with domestic violence battery.

A judge ruled Monday that Gooden can be released without bail after he spent the night at Hillsborough County jail.

Gooden works in the Yankees' front office as a special assistant. The team declined to comment on his arrest.

Gooden, 40, compiled a career record of 194-112 in a 16-year major league career. He also pitched for Cleveland, Houston and Tampa Bay before retiring in March 2001.

Gooden became the youngest Cy Young Award winner at age 20 in 1985 with the Mets and helped them win the World Series in 1986.

But what followed was a downward spiral of cocaine abuse and other incidents with the law. Gooden pleaded no contest to battery on a police officer and resisting arrest with violence and was sentenced to three years probation in 1986. Before the start of the 1987 season, Gooden tested positive for cocaine and went to drug rehab for a month.

In 1994, Gooden was suspended for 60 days after testing positive for cocaine. He tested positive for cocaine again while on suspension and was banned for the 1995 season.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner rescued Gooden from the scrap heap, and Gooden rewarded him by pitching a no-hitter on May 14, 1996.

Gooden's most recent arrests were in 2002 for drunk driving and 2003 for driving with a suspended license.

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index