Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer placed on administrative leave amid sexual assault investigation
Major League Baseball said its investigation was "concurrent with the Pasadena Police Department's active criminal investigation."
Editor's note: This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault allegations.
Trevor Bauer, the Dodgers pitcher who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his home in Pasadena, has been placed on administrative leave two days before he was scheduled to start against the Nationals in Washington, D.C., Major League Baseball announced Friday.
"MLB's investigation into the allegations made against Trevor Bauer is ongoing," the league said in a statement. "While no determination in the case has been made, we have made the decision to place Mr. Bauer on seven-day administrative leave effective immediately."
The placement on leave for seven days is a step under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy adopted by MLB and the players' association in 2015 and can be the initial step leading to a longer suspension. The administrative leave has been extended for players under the policy in the past.
"MLB continues to collect information in our ongoing investigation concurrent with the Pasadena Police Department's active criminal investigation," the statement said. "We will comment further at the appropriate time."
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The announcement came shortly after the Dodgers visited the White House on Friday morning in celebration of their World Series victory last year.
Bauer's agents, Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, said their client would not appeal the league's decision "at this time in an effort to minimize any distraction to the Dodger organization and to his teammates."
"Of note, administrative leave is neither a disciplinary action nor does it in any way reflect a finding in the league's investigation," the agents said in a statement.
On Thursday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had responded to a reporter's question about the matter by saying: "As of now, we're kind of in the middle of letting the commissioner's office, Major League Baseball, handle this. It's in their hands."
In a restraining order petition filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, a woman accused Bauer of choking her until she lost consciousness, punching her in several areas of her body and leaving her with injuries that required hospitalization over the course of two sexual encounters earlier this year. A copy of the document was obtained by ABC7.
Restraining order petition against Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer includes graphic, disturbing details
While asking the court to issue a no-contact order that would prevent Bauer from coming within 100 yards of her, the 27-year-old woman, a resident of the San Diego area, provided graphic details of sexual encounters with Bauer and photographs that show two black eyes, scratches on her face and bruised and cut lips. The alleged incidents took place at Bauer's home in Pasadena on April 21 and May 16 and are being investigated by the Pasadena Police Department.
Bauer's side plans to deny the allegations during a hearing scheduled for July 23, according to his representatives. On Tuesday, those representatives issued a statement denying that Bauer had assaulted the woman, describing the encounters "wholly consensual." The following day, they provided a series of text messages that show the woman inviting rough sex and talking about how she wants him to "gimme all the pain" and "choke me out."
The Dodgers began a four-game series with the Nationals on Thursday night.
If you are the victim of domestic abuse, or you know someone who is, there is help available 24/7. You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-4673.
ESPN contributed to this report.
