Dodgers CEO says team decision-makers were ‘unanimous’ in their decision to release Trevor Bauer
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.
After the suspension was reduced, the Dodgers had 14 days to decide on Bauer’s status. The team waited until the last moment, but eventually released Bauer.
Team CEO Stan Kasten, along with other Dodgers executives, met with reporters on Wednesday to discuss this decision, according to ESPN. It was not difficult, according to Kasten, the team’s decision makers were “unanimous” in their desire to fire Bauer.
“The decision we came to was unanimous among the people who are tasked with making this decision,” Kasten told reporters.
This contradicts Bauer’s version. At the time of his release, Bauer released a statement saying that he dated with the Dodgers before he was cut and was told the team wanted him back.
Kasten did not want to get into a war of words with Bauer, but said it “speaks for itself” that the team made the decision shortly after meeting Bauer.
“I’m not going to disagree or agree with anything about what was supposed to be a private conversation,” Kasten said when asked about Bauer’s statement. “I will just say that after a very short time we came back and made a decision. I think that speaks for itself.”
Kasten also explained why it took the team so long to announce Bauer’s release, stating that the team wanted to use all 14 days to gather information related to Bauer’s suspension. According to Kasten, part of that process was talking to Bauer, which the Dodgers didn’t do “from the start”.
Trevor Bauer Suspended After Assault Allegations
The first allegations against Bauer arose in 2021. In June of that year, a woman accused Bauer of choking her unconscious and punching her in the head during two separate sexual encounters. At first, these meetings were consensual, 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 strangled unconscious or having anal sex, which Bauer allegedly performed while she was unconscious.
Bauer claimed that both sexual encounters were consensual.
After this first allegation, other women came forward and accused Bauer of similar behavior. Bauer denied all allegations.
In April 2022, Bauer was suspended for 324 games by MLB in accordance with his domestic violence and sexual assault policy. He again denied all accusations against him. No criminal case has been opened against him.
In December, a referee reduced Bauer’s suspension to 194 games, giving the Dodgers a 14-day window to reinstate the pitcher.
Bauer received no waivers and remains a free agent.
