Trevor Bauer of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been suspended by Main League Baseball for 2 seasons, efficient instantly, for violating the league’s home violence and sexual assault coverage.
The suspension — which can cowl 324 video games with out pay — was introduced by Commissioner Rob Manfred on Friday. It got here after an investigation by the league into allegations that he had sexually assaulted a lady. Bauer, who joined the Dodgers final season as a free agent, was positioned on administrative go away, with pay, on July 2. A second assault allegation was reported by the Washington Submit.
Bauer, who has been vocal in his personal protection all through the method, and has filed a number of lawsuits in opposition to varied folks together with media members, issued a press release on Friday condemning the choice.
“Within the strongest potential phrases, I deny committing any violation of the league’s home violence and sexual assault coverage,” Bauer’s assertion mentioned. “I’m interesting this motion and count on to prevail. As we’ve all through this course of, my representatives and I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.”
In court docket filings and testimony, a lady mentioned that she initiated contact with Bauer and started a consensual relationship in April 2021, with some agreed-upon tough intercourse, however that it led to sexual acts that weren’t consensual. She has additionally mentioned she was choked together with her hair till she misplaced consciousness. She mentioned that she returned to Bauer’s home in Pasadena, Calif., in Could and established a protected phrase that might sign her need to cease however that she was once more choked till she misplaced consciousness and was punched.
Bauer’s lawyer had mentioned in a earlier assertion that his consumer had messages exhibiting that the girl had requested to be choked and slapped throughout the encounters.
Individually, the Washington Submit printed an investigation revealing one other incident of alleged abuse.
The Submit’s reporting detailed how an Ohio girl had sought a protecting order in opposition to Bauer in 2020 after accusing him of punching and choking her with out consent throughout intercourse. In line with that report, which relied on sealed court docket data and different paperwork, the girl dropped the request six weeks after submitting it and after Bauer’s attorneys threatened authorized motion. Bauer referred to as the report “a false narrative” and accused the girl of making an attempt extortion.
After a sequence of extensions of his administrative go away final season, his yr formally ended on Sept. 21, when his administrative go away was prolonged by means of the tip of the season. He was paid for the whole thing of 2021 — his contract referred to as for $28 million — however beneath the phrases of his suspension he is not going to be paid in 2022 or 2023, the ultimate two years of his contract with Los Angeles.
The Dodgers, for whom Bauer appeared in solely 17 video games, issued a press release after the announcement by which the workforce mentioned it helps the league’s coverage however that it could not remark additional due to Bauer’s proper to enchantment.
“The Dodgers group takes all allegations of this nature very critically and doesn’t condone or excuse any acts of home violence or sexual assault,” the assertion mentioned. “We’ve cooperated totally with MLB’s investigation because it started, and we totally help MLB’s Joint Home Violence, Sexual Assault, and Baby Abuse Coverage, and the Commissioner’s enforcement of the Coverage.”
Bauer is the fifteenth participant to be suspended as a part of the league’s coverage on home violence, sexual assault and youngster abuse.
