MLB drops hammer on Dodgers’ Trevor Bauer with gigantic suspension
![LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws the first pitch of the game against the San Francisco Giants. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fdodgersway-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2022-2F01-2F1328038445-850x560-3c91edad6c99501f9ae1c0b6fe99ea2b.jpg)
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been playing the last two seasons with a massive black cloud dangling over their head, as starting pitcher Trevor Bauer has been suspended due to some concerning allegations of sexual assault and violence against women. Bauer has been on administrative leave for the entire 2022 season.
Bauer was accused of choking a woman into unconsciousness and performing violent sexual acts on her while the alleged victim was not conscious. While Bauer will not face any criminal charges in this case, that did not prevent him from getting slammed with a career-altering suspension.
Bauer was handed a two-year suspension by the league, meaning that he will receive the longest non-life suspension in league history. Bauer said that he plans to appeal the ruling, but he is still going to miss a large chunk of time no matter how that process ends up. MLB finally came down hard after months of dragging its feet.
The league has previously given players like Marcell Ozuna and Sam Dyson much less punitive suspensions for violating the domestic violence policy. This kind of ruling shows that the league has shifted its thinking and is more willing to punish players like Bauer who disobey their laws on what is a very serious issue.
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Trevor Bauer has received a two-year suspension from Major League Baseball.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 29, 2022
Dodgers starter Trevor Bauer was suspended for 324 games.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting that Bauer’s suspension will not include the days he has missed while on leave. The suspension starts today, which will rule him out for the remainder of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Bauer will be suspended for part of 2024, but his Dodgers contract expires before that season.
The Dodgers released a statement in response to the suspension, stating that the team “takes all allegations of this nature very seriously” and “does not condone or excuse any acts of domestic violence or sexual assault.” The team said they will not have any further comments until the appeals process comes to an end.
Statement from the Dodgers on Trevor Bauer’s suspension: pic.twitter.com/zXlARYqFJe
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) April 29, 2022
The Dodgers invested $102 million in Bauer with the thought that he replicate his Cy Young form in Los Angeles. After the dust has settled, LA paid all of that money for 17 starts in a year when they did not win the pennant as overwhelming favorites. It’s one of the worst contracts in franchise history.
If it stands, the Dodgers would not have to pay Bauer the remainder of the money he is owed, as players are not paid when suspended.
No matter how hard Bauer has tried to fight the league in this arena, he is finally going to receive his comeuppance for everything he has been accused of doing. There is a good chance that Bauer never plays in the major leagues again, which could bring an early end to what looked like a very promising career.