Bauer won’t pitch again this season, leave extended by MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will miss the rest of the season.
Major League Baseball and the players’ association extended his administrative leave Friday through the end of the World Series.
Bauer was placed on seven days’ paid leave July 2 under the MLB and players’ union’s joint domestic violence and sexual assault policy after a Southern California woman said he choked her into unconsciousness, punched her repeatedly and had anal sex with her without her consent during two sexual encounters earlier this year. MLB and the union have since agreed to several extensions.
The decision to extend the leave through the rest of the season had been expected, given that Bauer had not pitched since June 29 and was running out of time to get back in shape to return to the mound while games remained. The regular season is scheduled to end Oct. 3 and the minimum ramp-up time for pitchers is generally regarded as three weeks.
Bauer’s representatives issued a statement Friday saying he had agreed to extend his administrative leave through the playoffs “in a measure of good faith and in an effort to minimize any distraction to the Dodgers organization and his teammates.”
“He continues to cooperate with the MLB investigation and refute the baseless allegations against him,” the statement said. “Again, by definition administrative leave is neither a disciplinary action nor does it in any way reflect a finding in the league’s investigation.”
RED SOX LEFTY SALE HAS COVID-19, SCRATCHED FROM SUNDAY START »
Boston ace Chris Sale has tested positive for COVID-19, sidelining the left-hander while the Red Sox fight for positioning in the crowded AL playoff picture.
A Red Sox spokesman confirmed the result on Friday morning. The seventime All-Star had been scheduled to start Sunday in Chicago against the AL Central-leading White Sox.
The 32-year-old Sale missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Since returning Aug. 14, he is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA.
Any prolonged absence for Sale would be a big blow for the Red Sox, who entered Friday with a onegame lead over the New York Yankees for the AL’s top wild-card spot. Toronto was another half-game back as it tries to swipe the second wild card from its AL East rivals.
Boston has made frequent use of the COVID-19 injury list in the last month, but it looked as if it was turning a corner before Sale’s positive test. Lefthander Josh Taylor was reinstated on Monday, and position players Kiké Hernández and Danny Santana returned to the active roster on Tuesday.
Eight players remain on the COVID-19 IL, including infielders Xander Bogaerts and Christian Arroyo and pitchers Nick Pivetta, Matt Barnes and Martín Pérez.