Reigning Cy Young winner and former All-Star Trevor Bauer has been placed on seven-day administrative leave following allegations of sexual assault.
The Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher was scheduled to pitch on Sunday but will not suit up. Bauer declined the allegations but also declined to appeal MLB’s decision.
Administrative leave, adopted under a joint domestic violence policy between MLB and the MLB Players Association is not considered a suspension. This means the player will receive his full salary despite not participating in games.
MLB can also request an extension of seven additional days, but that would require consent from the MLBPA. If Bauer’s leave is extended, this would keep him off the field through the All-Star break.
Bauer was not with the team when the Dodgers met President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday to celebrate the World Series victory from last season.
A protection order against Bauer was obtained and was the result of an assault by Bauer that left the woman with “severe physical and emotional pain,” according to Marc Garelick, the woman’s attorney.
The Pasadena Police Department has been investigating Bauer for assault since mid-May. According to reports, the woman filed a domestic violence restraining order against Bauer, executed on June 28.
In the 67-page document, the woman states that Bauer punched and strangled her until she was unconscious multiple times, according to The Athletic. Bauer’s representatives previously responded publicly to the allegations, claiming the encounters were part of a “wholly consensual sexual relationship.”
On Wednesday, The Athletic published details of the restraining order, which helped bring to light the current situation Bauer is in. Bauer declined to comment about the restraining order on Thursday at Nationals Park.
Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts was asked on Thursday if Bauer would make his scheduled start. At the time, Roberts said that he was following the lead Major League Baseball.
Dodgers President Stan Kasten said Friday that he accepted the MLB’s action. “I trust that process, to get us where it needs to go. “I know what has been in the public domain,” Kasten told reporters. “Apparently there’s plenty more information that I have not been told, that I am not privy to, that I do not know anything about. And so I’m going to wait till all of that fact-gathering is complete and the decision was made.”
No formal charges have been filed and the hearing is scheduled for July 23.
Bauer will not remain with the team until further notice, the Dodgers said.
The Dodgers sit 0.5 games back of rival San Francisco entering Friday’s slate of games. Bauer is currently in his first season with the organization, signing in the off-season after a career year that included a 1.73 ERA and Cy Young award with the Cincinnati Reds.
This season, Bauer is 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts. The RHP has allowed just 19 home runs across 107.2 innings pitched.
