LOS ANGELES — Editor's note: The following story contains graphic allegations of sexual assault that may be difficult or troubling for some to read.
Major League Baseball placed Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer on paid administrative leave Friday after a woman accused him of sexual assault earlier this week.
After the allegation was made public, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Thursday said that Bauer was still expected to make his scheduled start on Sunday in Washington D.C. against the Nationals as the team waited for the commissioner's office to make a decision on how to move forward.
As no arrest has been made and Bauer denies the allegations, the league's domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy states MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred can place Bauer on paid administrative leave for seven days. After that, the league can only extend the leave with an agreement from the players’ union, unless the police have arrested or charged him.
The woman accusing Bauer also obtained a temporary restraining order against him. Attorney Marc Garelick said the protection order was the result of an “assault that took place at the hands of Mr. Bauer" where the woman "suffered severe physical and emotional pain."
Pasadena police confirmed that the department is looking into accusations of an assault involving Bauer.
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A report from The Athletic said court documents they obtained said the 27-year-old woman accuses Bauer of punching her in the head and strangling her to the point of unconsciousness during two separate sexual encounters earlier this year. During one of those occasions, the woman claims she awoke to find Bauer having anal sex with her, something she says she did not consent to.
The woman allegedly went to the hospital after their second meeting to be treated for multiple injuries.
"I was afraid what Trevor would do if he found out," she said, according to the report, regarding why she initially declined to name Bauer as her attacker. "I remain afraid that Trevor will find me and hurt me for going to the hospital."
Jon Fetterolf, Bauer's co-agent, disputed the allegations that Bauer committed any nonconsensual violence. He said Bauer met the woman in April, and the two had “a brief and wholly consensual sexual relationship initiated” by the woman.
“Her basis for filing a protection order is nonexistent, fraudulent, and deliberately omits key facts, information, and her own relevant communications,” Fetterolf said. “Any allegations that the pair’s encounters were not 100% consensual are baseless, defamatory, and will be refuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Fetterolf said the woman asked Bauer repeatedly for “rough” sexual encounters, demanding to be “choked out” and slapped in the face.
The attorney said the woman shared photos of herself with Bauer and indicated she sought care for a concussion and that Bauer responded with concern and confusion. According to Fetterolf, the woman was allegedly not angry nor accusatory.
Bauer signed a free agent contract with the Dodgers during the offseason that made him MLB' highest-paid player in 2021 ($40 million) after he won the NL Cy Young last year as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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