Trevor Bauer released by Dodgers following sexual assault accusation
The Dodgers are done with Trevor Bauer.
The former Cy Young winner, who was accused of sexual assault and hit with a two-year ban from Major League Baseball before being reinstated by an arbitrator in late December, wa🍌s designated for assignment on Friday, the Dodgers announced.
“The Dodgers organization believes that allegations of sexual assault or domestic violence should be thoroughly inv▨estigated, with due process given to the accused,” the franchise said in a statement. “From the beginning, we have fully cooperated with Major Leag✨ue Baseball’s investigation and strictly followed the process stipulated under MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Two extensive reviews of all available evidence in this case — one by Commissioner [Rob] Manfred and another by a neutral arbitrator — concluded that Mr. Bauer’s actions warranted the longest ever active player suspension in our sport for violations of this policy.
“Now that this process has been completed, 𒉰and after careful consideration, we have decided that he will no longer be part of ou♎r organization.”
The Dodgers dumped Bauer on the last day of a 14-day perio🐽d in which the team needed to decide if the pitcher would be reinstated to the 40-man roster. By designating him for assignment, they still have seven days to trade him, though it’s unlikely they would get anything of value in return.
In wha🧔t was an expected move, the Dodgers will take a big financial hit of 💯$22.5 million. They signed Bauer to a three-year, $102 million deal before the 2021 season.
Bauer, meanwhওile, responded with a statement of his own on Friday night.
“While we were unable to communicate throughout the administrative l🌄eave and arbitration process, my representatives spoke to Dodgers leadership immediately following the arbitration decision,” he said. “Following two weeks of conversation and my return to the organization, I sat down with Dodgers leadership in Arizona [Thursday] who told me that they wanted me to return and pitch for the team this year.”
Bauer added that he was “disappointed” with the organization’s decision, wished his former teammates well and said he looks fo♍rward to competing elsewhere.♓
Bauer, who hasn’t pitched since June 28, 2021, will be free to sign with any major league team for 🥂the $720,000 minimum if he clears waivers, and can play immediately after completing a record-long suspension.
The pitcher was a♉ccused 🌠of sexual assault by a woman who said he choked her during sex to the point she lost consciousness, repeatedly punched her and non-consensually penetrated her, according to court documents. The woman sought a restraining order against Bauer after the incident, which a judge denied.
Throughout the saga, Bauer, who will turn 32 on Jan. 17, repeatedly denied the cla🗹ims and claimed the acts were consensual. He sued the woman for defamation after the Los Angeles District Attorney ultimately decided to not press charges against him over the incident.
In response, the accuser countersued, alleging that theꦺ ace filed the lawsuit in order to intimidate her, according to The Washington Post, which has also reported on two additional wom🦩en who have accused Bauer of sexual assault.
