Roberts is not expecting Bauer to pitch this week
MIAMI >> Dodgers manager Dave Roberts does not expect Trevor Bauer to be pitching for the team later this week when Bauer’s seven-day administrative leave could expire.
“I don’t see that happening,” Roberts said Monday.
Bauer was placed on administrative leave by MLB on Friday while it investigates sexual assault allegations against the Dodgers pitcher. The leave will theoretically expire this week. MLB can extend it but only with the agreement of the MLB Players Association.
Bauer has been accused by a woman of choking her until she lost consciousness on multiple occasions, punching her in several areas of her body and leaving her with injuries that required hospitalization over the course of two sexual encounters earlier this year, according to a domestic violence restraining order that was filed in L.A. County Superior Court this week. The woman was granted a temporary ex parte restraining order. A formal hearing is scheduled for July 23. At that point, Bauer can respond to the allegations.
The alleged incidents took place at Bauer’s home in Pasadena on April 21 and May 16, and are being investigated by the local police department.
Bauer had the option to appeal MLB’s decision to put him on administrative leave but chose not to. His representatives have said Bauer denies the allegations “in the strongest terms.”
Without Bauer in their starting rotation, the Dodgers went with a “bullpen day” on Sunday in Washington, using eight pitchers to cover nine innings.Roberts said Monday they will make Wednesday in Miami another bullpen day with Julio Urias (Thursday) and Clayton Kershaw (Friday) each getting an extra day off before their next starts.
“We’re planning to move forward right now as we have been in recent days,” Roberts said of being down a starter through the All-Star break next week.
Jansen surprised by his All-Star snub
When he got the news Sunday that he hadn’t been named to the National League All-Star team, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said he was “shocked.”
And he felt something else. “Insulted. To me — honestly,” Jansen said Monday, still stung by the omission. “Listen, I went through a lot of disappointment (over it), but at the end, I was laughing more about it.
“I guess you have to put up a 0.00 ERA with zero blown saves for me — for me — to get that recognition. Especially me doing this for a long time.”
Four relievers were voted onto the NL All-Star staff — Mark Melancon of the Padres, Craig Kimbrel of the Cubs, Alex Reyes of the Cardinals and Josh Hader of the Brewers.
Hader (0.55), Kimbrel (0.59) and Reyes (1.12) all have lower ERAs than Jansen (1.30). Melancon does not (2.27) but he leads the majors with 25 saves. Jansen has 21 saves. Kimbrel, Reyes and Hader each have 20. Jansen has two blown saves, Melancon four, Kimbrel two. Reyes and Hader have not blown a save this season.
Jansen’s WHIP (0.98) and batting average against (.119) are both lower than Melancon or Reyes.
“Kimbrel? Really good. Hader? Really good,” Jansen said. “But come on, man. I’ve been doing this for a really long time. I guess people these days fall in love with excitement, with hype, with 100 mph. Or you’ve just got to be the leader in saves to be in the AllStar Game.
“To me, it’s a shocker. Not just me. We have the best ERA in the game and not Walker (Buehler)? Zero pitchers?”
Jansen wasn’t alone in his disappointment. Third baseman Justin Turner acknowledged that he was stung by his omission as well.
“I don’t think I even need to comment on that,” Turner said. “Yesterday when I went into Doc’s office, that was not the news I was expecting.”
Turner, Jansen and Buehler could all be added to the roster before next week when players on the current roster drop out for various reasons.
“Absolutely,” Turner said when asked if he would take a spot that way. “I don’t think you pass up an opportunity like that.”
Jansen said he would accept as well, calling it a bittersweet way to make the All-Star team but emphasizing that All-Star recognition is not his motivation this year.
“You feel insulted then you move on because at the end of the day I didn’t work my (butt) off to be an All-Star. I worked my (butt) off to help my team, to maybe throw the last pitch of the postseason. If it works, be the last man out there standing,” said Jansen who was relegated to the bullpen as Julio Urias closed out last year’s NLCS and World Series victories.
“What really hurt me was not being at my best for my team in the postseason last year. So I didn’t work my (butt) off to be an All-Star.”
Likely pass on Derby
Max Muncy said he has not been asked by MLB to participate in next week’s Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game. But if he is asked, he said he would “probably” pass.
“It just doesn’t make sense to do it really. I need to be healthy going into the second half,” Muncy said. “It’s one of those things that puts a lot of stress on the body. Having done one before, it kind of puts you in the gutter for a couple weeks after.
“It’s one of those things where it just doesn’t make sense this year. I need to get healthy.”
Muncy said he is still dealing with the ankle and oblique injuries that sidelined him briefly last month. He was named as a reserve on the NL All-Star team on Sunday and Dave Roberts said he plans to start Muncy at DH and bat him second in the NL lineup.
Alexander returns
Left-hander Scott Alexander was activated from the injured list on Monday after missing two months with a shoulder injury. Left-hander Garrett Cleavinger was returned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Because Trevor Bauer has been placed on administrative leave, the Dodgers did not need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster before activating Alexander from the 60-day IL.