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Major League Baseball (MLB), as the governing body of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, announced Friday that it had suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for two seasons after violating the MLB’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy. league, the pitcher has stated that he will appeal the ruling.
A season after winning the Cy Young Award as the best pitcher in the majors while wearing a Cincinnati Reds uniform and after signing a big contract with the Dodgers, life has turned upside down for Trevor Bauer.
Due to a complaint of sexual assault made by a woman in the Californian city of San Diego, the commissioner’s office of the ‘Major League Baseball’ (MLB) decided to open an investigation into the possibility that the player had violated the violence policy domestic and sexual assault implemented by the league in 2015.
After several months of investigations, in parallel with the judicial process carried out and from which, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, no criminal charges will be filed against Bauer, the MLB announced that it was suspending the player for the future seasons, without salary. A measure that would affect not only the player, but also his team in the league.
The decision was made known by the Dodgers team itself through a statement in which it expresses, among other things, respect the decision and that the player will appeal the decision.
“Today we were informed that MLB has concluded its investigation into the allegations that have been made against Trevor Bauer and the Commissioner has issued his decision regarding discipline. The Dodgers organization takes all allegations of this nature very seriously and does not condone or condone any act of domestic violence or sexual assault,” the statement read in part.
The decision, which will be unpaid, will take effect this Friday, April 29, and does not include the 99 regular season games that Bauer has missed since July 2021, when the player was placed on administrative leave. a section that prohibits him from participating with his group but allows him to receive his salary.
The MLB toughens its policy of violence by players
The complaint against Bauer, filed in San Diego by a woman who preferred to keep her name anonymous, was filed in June 2021. At the time, the victim accused the pitcher of sexual assault during two intimate encounters.
Additionally, the woman requested a restraining order against the player, which was dismissed in August by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman, arguing that Bauer did not represent a threat.
In February 2022, the Los Angeles County District Attorney, who reviewed the case for five months, declared that he would not file criminal charges against the player.
Bauer indicated that he will appeal the decision
Shortly after learning that the MLB will suspend him for the next two seasons (324 games), Bauer issued a statement in which, among other things, he again stated that he had not committed any crime and that he will appeal the decision.
In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence & sexual assault policy. I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) April 29, 2022
“In the strongest possible terms, I deny any violation of the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy. I am appealing this action and hope to prevail,” the pitcher wrote.
If the suspension is upheld, it would end shortly after the expiration of a three-year, $102 million contract Bauer signed with the Dodgers in early 2021.
In a Dodgers uniform in 2021, Bauer appeared in 17 games, all as a starter, leaving a record of 8 wins and five losses, with a 2.59 ERA.
With Efe, Reuters, AP and US media
