Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, facing allegations of sexual assault, was placed on seven-day administrative leave by Major League Baseball on Friday, a decision that will prevent him from making his scheduled start on Sunday.
Bauer, whose side has denied the allegations, has declined to appeal MLB’s decision.
“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,” Bauer’s co-agents Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba said in a statement. “Of note, administrative leave is neither a disciplinary action nor does it in any way reflect a finding in the league’s investigation.”
Administrative leave, adopted under a joint domestic violence policy between MLB and the MLBPA, is not considered a suspension; the player still gets his full salary despite not participating in games.
MLB can request an extension of seven additional days with consent from the MLB Players Association. Doing so would keep Bauer off the field through the All-Star break, buying more time for an ongoing investigation.
“MLB’s investigation into the allegations made against Trevor Bauer is ongoing,” the league wrote in a statement. “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 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 has been accused by a woman of choking her until she lost consciousness on multiple occasions, punching her in several areas of her body and leaving her with injuries that required hospitalization over the course of two sexual encounters earlier this year, according to a domestic violence restraining order that was filed in L.A. County Superior Court this week, copies of which were obtained by ESPN on Wednesday.
While asking the court to issue a no-contact order that would prevent Bauer from coming within 100 yards of her, the woman, a 27-year-old who resides in San Diego, provided graphic details of sexual encounters with Bauer and photographs that show two black eyes, scratches on her face and bruised and cut lips. The alleged incidents took place at Bauer’s home in Pasadena, California, on April 21 and May 16, and are being investigated by the local police department.
The restraining order was executed as a temporary ex parte, which can be achieved without input from the other party. Bauer’s side plans to deny the account during a hearing scheduled for July 23, according to his representatives. On Tuesday, those representatives issued a statement denying that Bauer had assaulted the woman, calling the encounters “wholly consensual.” The following day, they provided a series of text messages that show the woman inviting rough sex and talking about how she wants him to “gimme all the pain” and “choke me out.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday afternoon that Bauer was still on track to make his Sunday start in Washington, D.C., saying, “As of now, we’re kind of in the middle of letting the commissioner’s office, Major League Baseball, handle this. It’s in their hands right now, and right now, our direction was to just move forward and not do anything as far as the player or Trevor.”