He won’t pitch for the Dodgers again in 2021
To no surprise, Trevor Bauer officially won’t pitch for the Dodgers at any point in 2021. While Bauer continues to remain under investigation, Major League Baseball and the players union agreed to extend his leave from the team through the end of the season, including the playoffs.
Major League Baseball is currently conducting their own investigation, but this case likely wouldn’t have been finished by the end of the season, so this makes perfect sense.
The Pasadena Police Department presented their investigation into sexual assault allegations against Bauer to the district attorney’s office on August 27. Now, the case is in the hands of the district attorney as to whether or not the case will be filed or rejected.
A few weeks ago, a judge lifted the restraining order filed against Bauer, as the judge ruled that there was “no supportable evidence” that Bauer would be likely to “harm or even have contact” with the accuser.
Under MLB’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy, the right to discipline Bauer remains with the league. The Dodgers can’t take matters into their own hands. This is the case until MLB concludes their investigation, or until commissioner Rob Manfred transfers disciplinary authority to the Dodgers.
Per the LA Times, if the Dodgers wish to cut ties with him, they can release him and pay off the balance of the contract, or they can try to void the deal and risk an almost certain grievance, in which they would argue that Bauer had violated personal conduct standards in the contract.