Trevor Bauer was given go away of absence after allegations of sexual assault

Referees check the hat and glove of Trevor Bauer # 27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers for foreign matter after the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar pitcher Trevor Bauer was put on a week-long administrative vacation from Major League Baseball on Friday.

Bauer’s forced vacation was announced the same day President Joe Biden hosted the Dodgers at the White House for their World Series win last fall.

Bauer, who won the 2020 National League Cy Young Award while playing for the Cincinnati Reds, agreed to a three-year deal with the Dodgers in February that could gross him a total of $ 102 million, making him one of the highest-paid baseball players .

The 30-year-old, who was slated to face the Nationals next in Washington on Sunday, was not charged with any criminal charges in the incidents that allegedly occurred in April and May. But the California police are investigating him, and they opened an investigation in mid-May.

Bauer is also the subject of a restraining order against domestic violence filed Tuesday by his 27-year-old accuser.

Major League Baseball said in a statement that an investigation into the woman’s allegations against Bauer is “ongoing.”

“Although no decision has yet been made in the case, we have decided to put Mr. Bauer on a seven-day administrative vacation with immediate effect,” said the MLB’s announcement.

“MLB continues to gather information in our ongoing investigation in parallel with the active criminal investigation of the Pasadena Police Department. We will provide further comments in due course.”

United States President Joe Biden holds up a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball jersey as he greets the 2020 World Series Champions during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on July 2, 2021.

Almond Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

Bauer’s agents said in a statement received by The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal: “We confirm and refute our original statement” [the woman’s] Accusations in the strongest possible way. “

“Mr Bauer will not be contesting MLB’s decision to take him on administrative leave at this point in order to minimize the distraction of the Dodgers organization and its teammates,” the statement said.

“Note that the administrative leave is not a disciplinary measure nor is it a result of the league’s investigation.”

A spokesman for Dodgers told KNBC-TV, “I don’t think the administrative leave can be appealed.”

“It gives the MLB time to investigate without disciplinary action,” said the spokesman, adding that disciplinary action can be appealed.

The announcement came a day after Sports Illustrated posted an article online entitled “Trevor Bauer Not Allowed To Start Sunday”.

The article berated the Dodgers and MLB for “cowardice” for failing to give Bauer a leave of absence despite the “disgusting” allegations against him.

Bauer’s prosecutor said in her application for an injunction that he choked her to unconsciousness in two sexual encounters and hit her repeatedly in the face and genitals in one of the encounters, injuring her so badly that she was hospitalized.

She also claims he behaved sexually that she did not consent to one of the encounters.

Bauer’s co-agent, Jon Fetterolf, previously said that Bauer had “a brief and fully consensual sexual relationship” with the woman she initiated.

“Your basis for filing a protection order is non-existent, fraudulent, and deliberately omitting important facts, information and your own relevant communications,” Fetterolf told NBC News.

Bauer, who made his major league debut in 2012, has appeared in 17 games this season. He has a record of 8-5 and a earned run average of 2.59.

– Additional reporting by Jessica Golden from CNBC and Jabari Young