Major League Baseball has suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for two years for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, the league announced Friday.
Bauer will miss 324 championship season games, or two full seasons, Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. announced. Bauer will serve his suspension without pay.
There will be no further statements from Manfred’s office at this time; however, the Dodgers did release a statement:
“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 announced on Twitter that he will be appealing the decision.
In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence & sexual assault policy. I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.
— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) April 29, 2022
Bauer has not played a game for the Dodgers since June 2021, according to Bleacher Report.
The Athletic reported last June that a woman had received a temporary restraining order against the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner, claiming that he had sexually assaulted her twice. She alleged that he had choked and punched her and committed sexual acts to which she did not consent.
Bauer’s attorney denied the woman’s allegations, but the pitcher was put on administrative leave starting on July 2, 2021. The leave was extended in 14-day increments until he was ruled out in September 2021.
On Feb. 8, 2022, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Bauer would not face criminal charges stemming from the allegations.
The league does not need criminal charges to issue a suspension, according to Bleacher Report.
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