Herrera's 2019 season was short-lived as he played only 39 games batting a career-low .222/.288/.341, with a home run and 16 RBIs in 126 at bats. He had the slowest sprint speed of all major league center fielders, at 26.7 feet/second. On July 6, he was suspended for the rest of the season retroactive to June 24, due to his violating MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, in a domestic violence incident on May 27.
On May 27, 2019, Herrera was arrested at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, after a report of domestic violence. He was charged with simple assault for allegedly assaulting his 20-year-old girlfriend, Melany Martinez-Angulo, who had visible signs of injury on her arms and neck including "handprint markings" and scratches, and released from custody with a summons and a court date. The maximum penalty in New Jersey for simple assault was six months in jail, plus a $1,000 fine. He was placed on administrative leave by MLB the next day. The domestic violence charges were dropped after his girlfriend opted not to testify and proceed with the case.