April 30 (UPI) — MLB suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for two full seasons on Friday for violating its joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, commissioner Rob Manfred announced.
Bauer, who has been on administrative leave since July, said that he will appeal the ruling. The 31-year-old is accused of sexual assault by a San Diego woman, who claims Bauer abused her last April and May at his home in Pasadena, Calif.
In August, a Los Angeles judge denied the woman a request for a permanent restraining order. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in February that Bauer would not face criminal charges related to the sexual assault allegations.
“In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy,” Bauer tweeted Friday. “I am appealing this action and expect to prevail.
“As we have throughout this process, my representatives and I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.”
Bauer, who signed a three-year, $102 million deal with the Dodgers in February 2021, will not be paid during the suspension.
The 324-game suspension followed what the league called an “extensive” probe by its department of investigations. Bauer will not get credit for the games he missed as part of his leave.
Bauer tweeted earlier this week that he filed a “defamation and tortious interference lawsuit” against the woman who “falsely” accused him of sexual misconduct. He said he also named one of the woman’s attorneys in the complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The Dodgers said Friday in a statement that they take “all allegations of this nature very seriously” and do “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,” the Dodgers said.
“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, 31, won the National League Cy Young Award in 2020, his final season with the Cincinnati Reds.
The 2018 All-Star went 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts for the Dodgers in 2021. He hasn’t pitched since June 28.
