TO UPDATE: Los Angeles Dodgers release controversial pitcher Trevor Bauer.
The former Cy Young winner was slated for assignment by the team today in a widely expected move. Bauer was reinstated after a two-year suspension by a referee last month. He was charged with sexual assault by a woman to hasten Major League Baseball’s suspension. Bauer vehemently claimed the relationship was consensual.
“The Dodgers organization believes that allegations of sexual assault or domestic violence should be thoroughly investigated, with due process afforded to the accused,” the Dodgers said in a statement. “From the outset, we have fully cooperated with Major League Baseball’s investigation and strictly followed the process set forth in MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Two in-depth reviews of all available evidence in this case – one by the commissioner [Rob] Manfred and another by a neutral arbitrator — concluded that Mr. Bauer’s actions justified the longest active player suspension ever in our sport for violating this policy.
“Now that this process is complete, and after careful consideration, we have decided that he will no longer be part of our organization.”
Bauer can now sign with any major league team for the minimum $720,000 and can play immediately. It remains to be seen whether a team will take a bite out of the former Cy Young winner.
EARLIER: Trevor Bauer, the LA Dodgers pitcher who was serving a two-year suspension, was reinstated to Major League Baseball today by an umpire.
Bauer’s suspension, originally scheduled for 324 games, now stands at 194 games. Bauer is eligible to return to play immediately, but the Dodgers will have to consider whether they want him back. They have 24 days to decide if the former Cy Young Award winner will be worth the bad publicity.
Bauer’s suspension was baseball’s longest since adopting a domestic violence policy. Bauer was charged with punching and choking a woman unconscious during two sexual encounters. He claimed that all acts were consensual and filed libel suits against his accuser and attorney.
The 31-year-old pitcher’s defamation lawsuit against his accuser and his lawyer claimed they filed a false police report in which she claimed he ‘sexually assaulted her during their second sex by choking her twice unconscious, repeatedly punching her in the face and vagina and scratching her face.
MLB will not challenge the referee’s decision.
“While we believe a longer suspension was warranted, MLB will abide by the neutral umpire’s decision, which upholds baseball’s longest active player suspension for sexual assault or domestic violence,” MLB said. in a press release.
Bauer last pitched in 2021 after winning the Cy Young Award in 2020. He signed a three-year, $102 million deal with Los Angeles ahead of the 2021 season.
MLB commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. said Friday that following a thorough investigation by the league’s investigation department, “Bauer received a suspension for 324 championship season games (representing two full seasons) without pay, effective today, for violating Major League Baseball’s joint agreement. Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. »
The statement added: “Consistent with the terms of the policy, the commissioner’s office will not be issuing any further statements at this time.”
Read the details of the case below.
UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 10: Trevor Bauer, Major League Baseball’s second-highest-paid player for the 2021 season, is done for the year.
MLB extended his administrative leave from the team for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. That’s when the district attorney considers next steps regarding the sexual assault allegations.
Bauer’s co-agents, Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, confirmed the news in a statement Friday.
“Today, Mr. Bauer agreed to extend his administrative leave during the playoffs as a measure of good faith and in an effort to minimize any distractions to the Dodgers organization and his teammates. He continues to cooperate with MLB’s investigation and to refute the baseless allegations against him,” the statement read.
The Dodgers currently have three games back in the standings of the San Francisco Giants in the NL West Division, but are high in the wildcard standings. The team relied on Bauer, who was a good thrower, but has since bolstered his rotation with a trade to former Washington Nationals star Max Scherzer.
UPDATED: Major League Baseball has extended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave through Sept. 3 as the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office considers its next steps.
The Pasadena Police Department has concluded its investigation into the assault allegations against Bauer. He is accused of sexual assault by a woman who claimed he strangled, punched and sodomized her without her consent during two encounters at her Pasadena home in April and May.
Bauer hasn’t pitched for the Dodgers since June 28. He is still paid but has not made the team.
UPDATED: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has responded to a report that he has a sexual assault allegation filed against him by a woman from Ohio. The Washington Post report making the allegations came two days before a hearing involving a California woman’s temporary restraining order against Bauer, who is currently on administrative leave from the team.
The hearing in California is scheduled for Los Angeles County Superior Court and could last for days.
Bauer, in his first public comments since the California incident, called Ohio’s legal problem a “game.”
“This is a continuation by the woman and her attorneys to carry out their threats to harm me by perpetuating false narratives,” Bauer said in a social media post. “It has been a game for her from the start, but my life is no game and I will not sit idly by and let this conduct continue.”
PREVIOUSLY: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, currently on extended administrative leave from Major League Baseball for an alleged assault on a woman, was reportedly the subject of an earlier protective order obtained last year by another woman.
Saturday’s Washington Post article cited sealed court records obtained by the outlet. The Post claimed an Ohio woman filed for the protective order in June 2020 while Bauer was pitching for the Cincinnati Reds.
The Post story said the photos obtained show bruises on the woman’s face and blood in her eyes. In that case, her lawyer claimed the injuries were caused by Bauer punching and choking her during sex without consent.
The alleged victim also complained in 2017 about Bauer, according to the Post article. He then pitches for the Cleveland team. During the incident, the woman told police that she was in her apartment and suffered eye injuries she said were caused by Bauer. Instead, police arrested her for underage drinking, The Post reported.
Copies of messages Bauer allegedly sent the woman and published by WaPo led her to seek a protective order. “I don’t want to spend time in jail for killing someone,” it read. “And that’s what would happen if I saw you again.”
Bauer won the National League Cy Young Award with the Reds in 2020 as the league’s top pitcher. He then signed a three-year contract worth at least $102 million with the Dodgers.
In a statement to the Post, Bauer’s attorney and agent, Jon Fetterolf, and agent Rachel Luba called Bauer’s allegations “categorically false.” They also questioned the validity of the threatening photographs and messages.
Bauer’s current administrative discharge comes from a California woman who obtained protection from Bauer, 30, in June, claiming he assaulted her during sex in May.
Major League Baseball placed Bauer on administrative leave, which was extended through Aug. 20.
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
