Los Angeles Dodgers officially cut ties with starter on Friday Trevor Bauera former Cy Young Award winner who was previously handed an unprecedented suspension following sexual assault allegations.
That means the Dodgers need to find a trade partner by 2pm ET on Thursday. Failing that, Bauer will receive an unconditional release exemption. Clear those considered likely scenarios and he’ll be a free agent the next day.
The Dodgers’ decision led to an independent arbitrator reducing Bauer’s suspension from 324 games to 194 games, immediately reinstating him, but deducting his remaining 50-game rewards to start the 2023 season. Dropped two weeks later. The ruling gave the Dodgers 14 days to decide whether to add him to their 40-man roster.
They held off a decision until Friday’s deadline and finally chose the long-anticipated route. If teams signed him on the open market, they would save $720,000, a major league minimum.
“The Dodgers organization believes that allegations of sexual assault or domestic violence should be thoroughly investigated with due process given to the accused. the team wrote in a long statement Friday. “From the beginning, we have cooperated fully with Major League Baseball’s investigations and have strictly followed the processes set forth under MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy.
“Two extensive reviews of all available evidence in this case–one each [MLB] commissioner [Rob] A separate judge by Manfred and a neutral arbitrator concluded that Bauer’s actions justified the longest active player suspension ever in sports for violating this policy. I was. Now that this process is complete, and after careful consideration, we have decided that he is no longer part of our organization.”
The Dodgers were widely expected to cut ties with Bauer for several months, but the length of time it took to make the decision surprised many in the industry and their own fans. , was initially due to being caught off guard when the arbitrator announced its decision three days before Christmas. Sources said the team didn’t expect to make a decision until mid-January at the earliest.
But the lengthy process only sparked outside speculation that the Dodgers might eventually bring Bauer back. We reached out to players to gauge their interest. The team’s key decision makers met with Bauer in Arizona on Thursday for their first face-to-face interaction in 18 months.
Bauer claimed in a statement that at that point the Dodgers had expressed a desire to pitch in 2023.
“While we were unable to contact each other during the administrative leave and arbitration process, my representative spoke with Dodgers management shortly after the arbitration decision.” Bauer wrote in his statement“I met with Dodgers executives in Arizona yesterday after two weeks of talks over his return to the organization.
“While we are disappointed with the organization’s decision today, we are grateful for the wealth of support we have received from the Dodgers clubhouse. We wish our players the best of luck and look forward to competing elsewhere.”
Bauer joined the Dodgers in February 2021 on a three-year, $102 million deal that included two opt-outs, but has not pitched since June 28, 2021.
The next day, a then-27-year-old San Diego woman filed a domestic violence restraint order (DVRO) request, alleging that Bauer assaulted her in the course of two sexual encounters at her Pasadena, California, home. submitted. In April and May, a protracted MLB investigation put Bauer on leave for the rest of that season.
Bauer, who has denied any wrongdoing on all counts, was hit hard when an LA judge denied a woman’s request for a permanent restraining order in August 2021 and when the LA District Attorney’s Office denied criminal charges in February. claimed two legal victories when 2022. But two other women made similar allegations To Washington PostAnd Manfred, who has the discretion to suspend players even if they are not charged, announced a 324-match suspension to Bauer near the end of April.
Martin Scheinman, an independent arbitrator held by both MLB and the MLB Players Association, presided over Bauer’s case, reviewed the findings, listened to testimony, and then suspended Bauer for 194 games. (of which 144 matches). It was provided during complaint processing. Scheinman basically took credit for the time given to Bauer on paid administrative leave throughout the second half of the 2021 season, quickly reinstated him, and left the rest in the hands of the Dodgers.
The Dodgers’ initial statement – “We have just been informed of the arbitrator’s ruling and will comment as soon as practical” – is surprisingly non-committal and consistent with their approach over the past year and a half. rice field.
The Dodgers canceled Bauer’s scheduled bobblehead night and removed his merchandise from stores shortly after MLB first put him on leave. Team Principal Stan Kasten later emailed employees in August 2021, stating that the San Diego woman’s DVRO hearing had taken place and was “deeply troubled by the allegations” against Bauer. Other than that, however, the team rarely comment publicly. As of now, there are no plans for the near future, according to sources.
Under the terms of the Domestic Violence Policy, the Dodgers are not permitted access to the details of MLB investigations or the reasons behind the arbitrator’s ruling.
Bauer won the Golden Spikes Award at UCLA in 2011 and was the No. 3 pick in the MLB Draft later that summer. He clashed with an Arizona Diamondbacks teammate, prompting a trade after his first full season, and was at the center of two notorious incidents in Cleveland, where he was taken out of the house on July 28, 2019. After three days before he traded again.
Bauer won the Cy Young Award in 2018 with the Cincinnati Reds during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. The Dodgers, who had just claimed an elusive championship, signed him later that offseason and gave the New York Mets despite rampant criticism over Bauer’s history of bullying others on social media. surpassed. At Bauer’s introductory press conference, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman touted the organization’s culture and review process, adding that he believed Bauer had learned from previous offenses.
“And we’re all going to make mistakes,” Friedman said. From a standpoint it was important to have that conversation and we feel good about it now obviously but he’s a huge force not just on the field but in the clubhouse and in the community I feel like it’s going to work, and that’s obviously why we’re sitting here.
Bauer was pitching almost like an ace with a 2.59 ERA in his first 17 starts, but assault allegations prompted his removal from the roster.The team basically made him Max Scherzer Heading into the 106-win regular season with another star-laden roster for the rest of the 2021 season.
The following year, the Dodgers broke the franchise record with 111 wins before losing to the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series. However, Bauer’s presence loomed large in the ensuing offseason and was evident in the Dodgers’ notable inactivity.
Top-tier free agents continued to walk away from the board, winning record deals in the process. I was worried about their salary while I was working.
Now, at least, the team can move forward.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan contributed to this story.
