Baseball Puts Trevor Bauer on Leave Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Trevor Bauer, the Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher under investigation by the authorities in Southern California after a woman accused him of sexual assault, was placed on short-term administrative leave Friday by Major League Baseball.

The move, at least for now, forestalls what could have been the specter of Bauer taking the mound while the police and the league continued their investigations, with details of the accusations publicly known. On Thursday, Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts had said the team planned to let Bauer, 30, make his next scheduled start, on Sunday in Washington, because it was following the lead of M.L.B., which had yet to say Bauer should not play.

“M.L.B.’s investigation into the allegations made against Trevor Bauer is ongoing,” the league said in a statement on Friday. “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. M.L.B. continues to collect information in our ongoing investigation concurrent with the Pasadena Police Department’s active criminal investigation.”

According to M.L.B.’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, which is collectively bargained with the players’ union, Bauer has the right to contest the administrative leave. But he will not challenge M.L.B.’s decision, according to his agents, Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, who continued to rebut the accuser’s claims.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/02/sports/baseball/trevor-bauer-dodgers-suspended-sexual-assault.html