Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Dodgers ace Trevor Bauer to pitch Sunday despite assault allegations

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 7/1/21

Reports have emerged this week that Los Angeles Dodgers ace and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer is facing disturbing allegations of assault linked with sexual encounters with a woman from earlier this year.

Bauer has thus far maintained his innocence and said the relationship was "consensual," and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Thursday he expects the starter will take the bump for Sunday's game at the Washington Nationals:

Dave Roberts on the decision to still start Trevor Bauer on Sunday even as they wait for MLB’s investigation: pic.twitter.com/sqU0iZJKAH
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 1, 2021

Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times added it's up to MLB, not the Dodgers, to place Bauer on a week-long administrative leave:

that’s all up to MLB, not the team. MLB can place a player on paid administrative leave for seven days without an agreement with the union. they’d need an agreement with the union to extend it beyond seven days.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) July 1, 2021

Bauer's attorney, Jon Fetterolf, denied the allegations made by the woman via a statement released Tuesday:

"Mr. Bauer had a brief and wholly consensual sexual relationship initiated by [the woman] beginning in April 2021. We have messages that show [the woman] repeatedly asking for 'rough' sexual encounters involving requests to be 'choked out' and slapped in the face. In both of their encounters, [the woman] drove from San Diego to Mr. Bauer's residence in Pasadena, Calif. where she went on to dictate what she wanted from him sexually and he did what was asked. Following each of her only two meetings with Mr. Bauer, [the woman] spent the night and left without incident, continuing to message Mr. Bauer with friendly and flirtatious banter. In the days following their second and final encounter, [the woman] shared photos of herself and indicated that she had sought medical care for a concussion. Mr. Bauer responded with concern and confusion, and [the woman] was neither angry nor accusatory.

"Mr. Bauer and [the woman] have not corresponded in over a month and have not seen each other in over six weeks. Her basis for filing a protection order is nonexistent, fraudulent, and deliberately omits key facts, information, and her own relevant communications. 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."

As ESPN's Jeff Passan and Alden Gonzalez noted, the woman alleges Bauer strangled her into unconsciousness on multiple occasions and also punched her to the point she was left with "significant head and facial trauma."

She has filed a domestic violence restraining order against Bauer.

More must-reads: