Google News Los Angeles Dodgers' Trevor Bauer on getting longest suspension in MLB history
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 2213
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has been handed the longest suspension the MLB has issued ever for violating its domestic violence policy. On Friday, the MLB announced a 324-game suspension for Bauer, who will be out of the MLB for at least two seasons if the decision is upheld.
After the suspension was annonced, Bauer took to Twitter to once again claim his innocence. “In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence and se*ual assault policy.
I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings," Bauer tweeted.
MLB statement on Bauer
“Commissioner Robert D.
Manfred, Jr. announced today that following an extensive investigation by MLB’s Department of Investigations, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has received a suspension for 324 championship season games (representing two full seasons) without pay, effective today, for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Se*ual Assault and Child Abuse Policy,” the league said in a statement.
“In accordance with the terms of the Policy, the Commissioner’s Office will not issue any further statements at this point in time." In February, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office confirmed it would not be pressing charges against Bauer over se*ual allegations the pitcher faced last year.
After that, Bauer sued The Athletic and their writer Molly Knight for defamation. “There was no basis for that assertion because the Complainant’s own medical records — which The Athletic possessed — showed that she had no such fracture,” the suit read.
“Nonetheless, consistent with their prior and subsequent expressions of animus toward Mr. Bauer, The Athletic and Ms. Knight publicized that false attack, which was picked up and further disseminated to a larger audience by other media outlets and social media sites.
“Defendants acted with actual malice because they deliberately ignored the truth — which was evident in the medical records possessed by The Athletic — and because the Defendants’ defamatory statements were part of a campaign to harass Mr.
Bauer, as evidenced by, among other actions, their prior and subsequent false and misleading statements about his conduct and character, their efforts to dissuade Major League Baseball teams from signing him, and their strident complaints about the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to add him to their team."