Trevor Bauer, the high-priced Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, will miss the rest of the 2021 baseball season and postseason as law enforcement authorities continue investigating claims he sexually assaulted a woman.
Bauer, who denies wrongdoing, has been on administrative leave because of that probe since earlier this summer.
Major League Baseball and the union which represents players agreed to extend Bauer’s administrative leave through the end of the World Series, according to a person familiar with the situation. The agreement came after both parties recognized that Bauer would not be in a position physically to return to play this season.
“Today Mr. Bauer agreed to extend his administrative leave through the playoffs in a measure of good faith and in an effort to minimize any distraction to the Dodgers organization and his teammates,” his agents Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba said in a statement Friday. “He continues to cooperate with the MLB investigation and refute the baseless allegations against him.”
“Again, by definition administrative leave is neither a disciplinary action nor does it in any way reflect a finding in the league’s investigation,” they added.
The Major League Baseball Players Association and the Dodgers declined to comment.
In late August, the Pasadena, California, police department turned over findings of its investigation to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The D.A.’s office has made no determination on whether to charge him.
Last month, a Los Angeles judge denied the 27-year-old woman who accused Bauer of assault a permanent restraining order against him. She has alleged Bauer choked her to the point of unconsciousness and repeatedly punched her during two sexual encounters.
Bauer, 30, was first placed on administrative leave on July 2 and has not pitched since June 28. He has received pay throughout his leave.
The MLB is not expected to decide whether to suspend Bauer until prosecutors determine whether to charge him.
The Dodgers signed Bauer, who won the Cy Young Award last year as a member of the Cincinnati Reds, to a three-year, $102 million contract in February. The deal made the pitcher one of the highest paid players in baseball.
