Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trevor Bauer has been suspended by Major League Baseball for two seasons, the league announced Friday.
Bauer is being suspended without pay for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
The pitcher is appealing the ruling.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB arrived at the decision following an “extensive investigation” into accusations of sexual assault made by a San Diego woman against the 31-year-old last June.
Trevor Bauer was placed on leave by the league at the end of June while the investigation took place.
Bauer has continued to repeatedly deny any wrongdoing and is suing the woman who accused him of sexual assault, contending her motive was to destroy his “reputation and baseball career, garner attention for herself, and extract millions of dollars” from him.
“In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence & sexual assault policy,” Bauer wrote in a social media post on Friday.
“I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives and I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.”
Bauer, 31, was due to earn $32 million this year and in 2023 as part of a three-year, $102 million deal signed prior to the 2021 season.
The Dodgers, who signed the Los Angeles native, said they cooperated with the investigation and do not “condone or excuse any acts of domestic violence or sexual assault.”
“We understand that Trevor has the right to appeal the Commissioner’s decision. Therefore, we will not comment further until the process is complete,” the team said.
In February, the media reported that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office would not press charges against Bauer.
The two-season suspension is the longest in league history for violating the policy and would extend past the expiration of his contract with the Dodgers.
Bauer made just 17 starts last season and pitched 107 2/3 innings to begin his stint with the Dodgers.
He went 8-5 and received his full base salary of $28 million in 2021.
