Trevor Bauer suspended for 324 games
NEW YORK –
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer was given an unprecedented two-season suspension with out pay Friday by Main League Baseball for violating the league’s home violence and sexual assault coverage, a cost he denied. He vowed to overturn the self-discipline earlier than an arbitrator.
The 2020 Nationwide League Cy Younger Award winner was positioned on administrative depart final July 2 beneath the coverage. The depart was initially set for seven days, was prolonged 13 instances and was as a result of expire Friday.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred introduced the self-discipline, which covers 324 video games with out pay and if left in place would price the 31-year-old pitcher simply over $60 million from a $102 million, three-year contract that started final yr.
Bauer vowed to problem the suspension earlier than Martin Scheinman, baseball’s impartial arbitrator, who’s confronted with deciding whether or not Manfred had simply trigger for the self-discipline beneath the home violence coverage agreed to in 2015.
A San Diego girl, whom the pitcher had met via social media, alleged that Bauer beat and sexually abused her final yr. She later sought however was denied a restraining order. Los Angeles prosecutors mentioned in February there was inadequate proof to show the lady’s accusations past an inexpensive doubt.
Bauer, who hasn’t performed for the reason that allegations surfaced and MLB started investigating, repeatedly has mentioned that all the pieces that occurred between the 2 was consensual.
“Within the strongest potential phrases, I deny committing any violation of the league’s home violence and sexual assault coverage,” he mentioned Friday in an announcement. “I’m interesting this motion and anticipate to prevail. As we’ve all through this course of, my representatives and I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.”
Amongst 15 gamers beforehand disciplined beneath the coverage, the longest suspension was a full season and postseason without cost agent pitcher Sam Dyson in 2021. Not one of the gamers beforehand disciplined beneath the coverage seem to have challenged the penalty earlier than an arbitrator.
Bauer was paid whereas on administrative depart, a full $28 million wage final season and the primary 22 days of a $32 million wage this season. He stands to lose $60,131,868: $28,131,868 of this yr’s and $32 million of 2023.
Bauer earlier this week sued his accuser in federal courtroom, a transfer that got here lower than three months after prosecutors determined to not file prison expenses in opposition to the pitcher. Bauer named the lady and considered one of her attorneys, Niranjan Fred Thiagarajah, as defendants within the lawsuit. The Related Press doesn’t usually establish individuals who say they’ve been victims of sexual assault.
The lawsuit mentioned that “the harm to Mr. Bauer has been excessive” after the lady alleged that he had choked her into unconsciousness, punched her repeatedly and had anal intercourse along with her with out her consent throughout two sexual encounters final yr.
The pitcher has mentioned the 2 engaged in tough intercourse at his Pasadena dwelling at her suggestion and adopted pointers they agreed to prematurely. Every encounter ended with them joking and her spending the night time, he mentioned.
MLB introduced the suspension in a brief assertion that didn’t present particulars of the findings of its investigation, including: “In accordance with the phrases of the coverage, the commissioner’s workplace is not going to problem any additional statements at this time limit.”
The Washington Put up revealed a narrative Friday wherein a lady from Columbus, Ohio, mentioned Bauer crossed the road throughout intercourse in 2013 and 2014. The lady, who was not recognized, mentioned the intercourse was consensual however that “issues occurred exterior of my consent” throughout intercourse, the Put up reported.
The lady mentioned Bauer choked her unconscious dozens of instances throughout intercourse. As soon as, after she regained consciousness, she mentioned Bauer was having anal intercourse with out her consent.
Bauer mentioned in an announcement despatched via his representatives that he had a “informal and wholly consensual sexual relationship from 2013-2018” with the lady, which started when he was pitching for the Triple-A workforce in Columbus.
“None of our conferences ever concerned a single non-consensual, not to mention unlawful, act,” Bauer mentioned. “In actual fact, she is the one who launched me to choking, each in our relationship and as a consensual act throughout intercourse. The incidents she detailed to the Washington Put up — and particularly the one which concerned non-consensual choking wherein she claims to have convulsed and woken up on a resort flooring — completely by no means occurred, in any capability.”
After profitable his first Cy Younger with the Cincinnati Reds in 2020, Bauer agreed to hitch his hometown Dodgers. He didn’t pitch after June 29 and completed with an 8-2 file and a 2.59 ERA in 17 appearances. He was paid his $28 million wage final yr.
Los Angeles declined to remark till the arbitration course of is full.
“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 workforce’s assertion mentioned. “We have cooperated totally with MLB’s investigation because it started, and we totally assist MLB’s” coverage and enforcement.
