Los Angeles Dodgers superstar pitcher Trevor Bauer on Friday was placed on a weeklong administrative leave by Major League Baseball amid a criminal investigation of claims that Bauer sexually assaulted a woman in brutal incidents.
Bauer’s forced leave was announced on the same day President Joe Biden hosted the Dodgers at the White House to mark their World Series win last fall. Bauer did not attend that event.
Bauer, who won the 2020 National League Cy Young Award while playing for the Cincinnati Reds, in February agreed to a three-year contract with the Dodgers that could pay him a total of $102 million, making him one of the highest-paid baseball players.
The 30-year-old, who next had been scheduled to pitch Sunday in Washington against the Nationals, has not been criminally charged in the incidents, which allegedly occurred in April and May. But he is under criminal investigation by police in California, who launched a probe in mid-May.
Bauer also is the subject of a temporary domestic violence restraining order filed Tuesday by his 27-year-old accuser. A representative for the accuser’s attorney declined to comment.
Major League Baseball said in a statement that its investigation of allegations made against Bauer by the woman is “ongoing.”
“While no determination in the case has been made, we have made the decision to place Mr. Bauer on seven-day administrative leave effective immediately,” MLB said in the statement.
“MLB continues to collect information in our ongoing investigation concurrent with the Pasadena Police Department’s active criminal investigation. We will comment further at the appropriate time.”
Bauer’s agents, in a statement obtained by The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal, said, “We affirm our original statement and refute [the woman’s] allegations in the strongest possible terms.”
“Mr. Bauer will not appeal MLB’s decision to place him on administrative leave at this time in an effort to minimize any distraction to the Dodgers organization and to his teammates,” the statement said.
“Of note, administrative leave is neither a disciplinary action nor does it in any way reflect a finding in the league’s investigation.”
A Dodgers spokesman told KNBC-TV, “I don’t believe the administrative leave can be appealed.”
“It allows MLB time to investigate without imposing discipline,” said the spokesman, adding that disciplinary action can be appealed.
The announcement came a day after Sports Illustrated published an article online with the headline: “Trevor Bauer Must Not Start Sunday.”
The article blasted the Dodgers and MLB for “cowardice” in not having placed Bauer on leave despite the “sickening” allegations against him.
Bauer’s accuser said in her application for the restraining order that he choked her until she lost consciousness during two sexual encounters, and during one of the encounters repeatedly punched her in the face and genitals, injuring her so badly that she was hospitalized.
She also alleges he engaged in sexual conduct that she had not agreed to during one of the encounters.
Bauer’s co-agent, Jon Fetterolf, has previously said that Bauer “had a brief and wholly consensual sexual relationship” with the woman that she initiated.
“Her basis for filing a protection order is nonexistent, fraudulent, and deliberately omits key facts, information, and her own relevant communications,” Fetterolf told NBC News.
Bauer, whose major league debut came in 2012, has appeared in 17 games this season. He has a record of 8-5, and an earned run average of 2.59.
— CNBC’s Jessica Golden and Jabari Young contributed to this report.
Source: Business - cnbc.com
