Major League Baseball has come down on Trevor Bauer with a two-year suspension, or 324 games, as punishment under its domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the suspension Friday, with allegations stemming from a California woman who alleges that two sexual encounters in the spring of 2021 turned violent without her consent.
The San Diego woman requested a restraining order against Bauer, however he alleges that she is the one that was trying to see him.
She claims that Bauer took consensual rough sex “too far,” and alleges that she was choked unconscious on multiple occasions, punched and scratched, and wound up in the emergency room.
Bauer produced texts from the woman which indicated that she asked to be “choked out.”
The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges and lifted the temporary restraining order:
“After a thorough review of all the available evidence, including the civil restraining order proceedings, witness statements and the physical evidence, the People are unable to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Bauer immediately issued a statement denying any violation of the league’s domestic abuse policy, and made known his plans to appeal.
Bauer signed a three-year contract with the Dodgers in February 2021, right after winning the National League Cy Young Award in the 2020 season.
He missed 81 regular-season games last season, plus 18 to begin this season, however since his 324-game suspension doesn’t begin until now, the nearly 100 games he’s missed so far won’t count against the suspension total.
The Los Angeles Dodgers released the following statement in light of the news:
“Today we were informed that MLB has concluded its investigation into 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 excuse any acts of domestic violence or sexual assault. We’ve cooperated fully with MLB’s investigation since it began, and we fully support MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy, and the Commissioner’s enforcement of the Policy.
We understand that Trevor has the right to appeal the Commissioner’s decision. Therefore, we will not comment further until the process is complete.”
Bauer has also filed defamation suits against his accuser and her lawyer as well as Deadspin and The Athletic.
