Trevor Bauer was reinstated to Major League Baseball on Friday.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office decided there was insufficient evidence to charge Bauer in February 2021.
The three-person arbitration panel upheld Bauer’s suspension, but reduced it from 324 games to 194 and reinstated him effective Friday. Bauer has missed 144 games so far under his suspension.
Bauer will be paid for his first 50 games in 2023.
Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers in February 2021. The suspension cost him $37.4 million.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have until Jan. 6 to decide whether to add him to their 40-man roster.
“We have just been notified of the referee’s decision and will comment as soon as possible,” the Los Angeles Dodgers tweeted Thursday.
Bauer’s accuser attempted to obtain a restraining order against him in August 2021.
Bauer filed a lawsuit, alleging “fabricated allegations of sexual assault,” against the woman in April 2022. He also sued his former attorney. The woman counter-sued in July, with her lawyers saying the allegations were not “false, fabricated or untrue”.
Bauer’s lawsuit against his accuser’s attorney was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge James Selma for the Central District of California in November.
In its statement, Major League Baseball pointed out that although the suspension was reduced, the arbitration panel found that Bauer’s suspension was warranted.
“While we believe a longer suspension was warranted, MLB will respect the neutral umpire’s decision, which upholds baseball’s longest active player suspension for sexual assault or domestic violence.” the statement said.
