Yahoo Sports Dodgers CEO says team decision-makers were 'unanimous' in their decision to release Trevor Bauer
Warning: The following article contains graphic allegations of sexual assault.
The Los Angeles Dodgers released pitcher Trevor Bauer in January, more than a year after he was first accused of assaulting a woman. Bauer was eligible to return to the team in January after his suspension was reduced from 324 games to 194.
Once the suspension was reduced, the Dodgers had 14 days to make a decision on Bauer's status. The team waited until the final moment but wound up releasing Bauer.
Team CEO Stan Kasten, along with other Dodgers executives, met with reporters Wednesday to discuss that decision, according to ESPN. It wasn't a tough one, per Kasten, who said team decision-makers were "unanimous" in their desire to cut Bauer.
"The decision we reached was unanimous among the people that are charged with having to make this decision," Kasten told reporters.
That contradicts Bauer's version of the story. At the time of his release, Bauer put out a statement saying he met with the Dodgers before being cut and was told the team wanted him back.
Kasten didn't want to get into a war of words with Bauer but said it "speaks for itself" that the team made its decision shortly after meeting with Bauer.
"I'm not going to get into contradicting or agreeing with anything about what was supposed to be a private conversation," Kasten said when asked about Bauer's claim. "I'll just say within a very short time we came back and made our decision. I think that speaks for itself."
Kasten also addressed why it took so long for the team to announce Bauer's release, saying the team wanted to use all 14 days to gather information related to Bauer's suspension. Part of that process was speaking with Bauer, something the Dodgers hadn't done "since the beginning of this," according to Kasten.
Trevor Bauer suspended after assault accusations
The first allegations against Bauer emerged in 2021. That June, a woman accused Bauer of choking her unconscious and punching her in the head during two separate sexual encounters. Those encounters were consensual at first, but Bauer allegedly went too far and did not listen when the woman reportedly told him to stop. The woman reportedly did not consent to being choked unconscious or engaging in anal sex, which Bauer allegedly performed while she was unconscious.
Bauer claimed both sexual encounters were consensual.
Since that first allegation, other women have come forward and accused Bauer of similar behavior. Bauer has denied all allegations.
In April 2022, Bauer received a 324-game suspension from MLB under its domestic violence and sexual assault policy. He again denied all accusations against him. Criminal charges have not been filed against him.
In December, an arbitrator reduced Bauer's suspension to 194 games, opening the 14-day window for the Dodgers to reinstate the pitcher.
Bauer was not claimed on waivers and remains a free agent.
