Bauer, accuser have settled legal dispute
Former major league pitcher Trevor Bauer and a woman who accused him of beating and sexually assaulting her in 2021 have settled their legal dispute, Bauer's attorneys said Monday.
“Both of their respective claims have been withdrawn with prejudice, effective today,” attorneys Jon Fetterolf and Shawn Holley said in a statement.
The former Dodgers pitcher was placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball in July 2021 after the allegations were made by the woman, who said Bauer assaulted her on two different occasions at his home in Pasadena during what she said began as consensual sexual encounters between them.
The 32-year-old Bauer denied the allegation, saying the encounters were consensual.
Prosecutors decided not to file charges in February 2022.
Bauer was suspended an unprecedented 324 games by MLB, a ban reduced to 194 games by an independent arbitrator in December 2022. After Bauer's suspension ended, the Dodgers cut him and no team picked him up. He now plays in Japan.
Bauer sued the woman, and she countersued. Their settlement calls for no exchange of money between the parties, but the woman will receive a separate $300,000 payout from insurance, her attorney, Jesse Kaplan, said in a letter to Bauer's lawyers.
“Quite frankly, regardless of the outcome in court, I've paid significantly more in legal fees than (the accuser) could ever pay me in her entire life, and I knew that would be the case going in,” Bauer said in a video statement. “But the lawsuit was never about the money for me. It was the only way for me to obtain critical information to clear my name.”
As part of the settlement terms, Bauer said he retained his right to speak publicly about the case.
“Now over the last two years, I've been forced to defend my integrity and my reputation in a very public setting but, hopefully, this is the last time I have to do so, as I'd prefer to just remain focused on doing my job, winning baseball games and entertaining fans around the world,” he said. “So today I'm happy to be moving on with my life.”
USC brings in Hilbrands as deputy AD
New USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen, it appears, is already taking steps to ensure she's surrounding herself in Heritage Hall with people she can trust.
The USC athletic department has hired Jay Hilbrands, formerly with the University of Washington, as a deputy athletic director, a source familiar with the situation told the Southern California News Group. Hilbrands' role, according to the source, is as chief of staff with a focus on external relations and football sports administration. Hilbrands is already listed under the USC staff directory and had his first day on Monday.
Hilbrands and Cohen have worked together since 2018, when he was first hired as an assistant athletic director for public relations at Washington. Hilbrands moved into a position in external relations in May 2021, serving as a senior associate athletic director before being promoted to deputy athletic director in July. The hire now brings two of Washington's most senior leaders in the athletic department to USC.
Before starting at Washington, Hilbrands worked in sports information and external relations at the University of Northwestern St. Paul and as a graduate assistant at Grand
Canyon University, where he obtained his Masters in leadership. Hilbrands has a background in football, playing wide receiver at Division III Bethel University.
Bills CB White tears Achilles, out for season
Buffalo Bills starting cornerback Tre'Davious White will require season-ending surgery to repair a torn right Achilles tendon, coach Sean McDermott announced on Monday.
“It's very difficult, very unfortunate and a shame,” McDermott said.
White was hurt in the final minute of the third quarter of a 48-20 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. He was covering Tyreek Hill up the right sideline when White suddenly pulled up favoring his right leg and fell to the turf. He attempted to get up before falling back to the ground and then took off his helmet and flung it behind him while pounding the turf.
• Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Deshaun Watson was cleared by the team's medical staff to play Sunday with a bruised right shoulder, but the quarterback made the decision following a brief warmup.
There had been some confusion about whether Watson made the call or it was made for him following the Browns' 28-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Stefanski reiterated Monday that Watson's shoulder is structurally sound, but the QB felt he couldn't perform at a winning level.
“He knows his body. He has played through serious pain before, very serious injuries,” Stefanski said on a Zoom call. ”It wasn't a matter of pain tolerance or anything. He just did not feel like he had his full faculties.”
• The Las Vegas Raiders are donating $1 million to UNLV's athletics program, the team announced Monday.
Raiders and UNLV officials will give more details at a news conference today. UNLV also will unveil signage for the Al Davis Team Room within the football program's Fertitta Football Complex.
Raiders owner Mark Davis, team president Sandra Douglass Morgan, UNLV president Keith Whitfield, athletic director Erick Harper and football coach Barry Odom will be on hand.
The Rebels' football team shares Allegiant Stadium with the Raiders.
Alcaraz in semifinals of China Open
Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz eased to his 12th semifinals appearance of the season with a 6-4, 6-2 win over seventh-seeded Casper Ruud at the China Open on Monday.
The top-seeded Spaniard recovered from falling a break behind in the first set before he overpowered Ruud with 30 winners and four breaks of serve to advance.
“To be able to beat a player like Casper in straight sets is really good,” Alcaraz said. “It means you are playing well. It is really tough, big rallies at the beginning of the match, but I am really happy with the level.”
“Being able to find solutions after the start of the first set. These kind of matches give you extra confidence.”
Alcaraz will meet sixthseeded Jannik Sinner in Tuesday's semifinals after the Italian downed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
Making her first appearance at the China Open, second-ranked Iga Swiatek advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo. Third-ranked American Coco Gauff defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-3. The U.S. Open winner plays Croatian Petra Martic next.