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Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, shown here in 2021 when he was with the Cleveland Indians. | Photo courtesy of Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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Los Angeles County prosecutors declined Tuesday to file criminal charges against Dodger pitcher Trevor Bauer over allegations that he physically assaulted a woman during a pair of sexual encounters in Pasadena last year.
According to a charge evaluation worksheet prepared by the District Attorney’s Office, “After a thorough review of all the available evidence, including the civil restraining order proceedings, witness statements and the physical evidence, the People are unable to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The 27-year-old woman contended that Bauer physically assaulted her — including punching her in the face and choking her into unconsciousness — during sexual encounters that occurred on April 21 and again on May 16 of last year. Bauer has denied any wrongdoing, with his attorney and representatives saying the rough sexual encounters between the pair were consensual.
The woman obtained a temporary restraining order against Bauer in late June of last year. But last August, following a four-day hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman denied the woman’s request for a five-year extension of the order, saying evidence shows Bauer never went beyond boundaries the accuser herself had set for the sexual encounters.
The judge said despite graphic photos indicating the severity of the woman’s injuries, the testimony showed the accuser set the boundaries for what type of sex she would tolerate, and the pitcher abided by them. In addition to denying a long-term restraining order, she canceled the temporary one that was issued in June.
The judge also found that it was the accuser who sought to extend the relationship with Bauer.
“Respondent did not pursue petitioner, she pursued him,” the judge said.
Bauer was placed on administrative leave by the Dodgers at the beginning of July, and he remained on leave through the season.
In his video, Bauer conceded that he engaged in “rough sex” with the woman on two occasions, saying it was something that “she brought up.”
“We discussed it together and both agreed to engage in (rough sex),” he said. “We established rules and boundaries and I followed them. On both occasions she consented beforehand when we established those boundaries. She also repeatedly consented during sex when I asked her multiple times if she was enjoying herself and if she wanted to continue, and in fact she continued to direct me as to what she wanted in no uncertain terms.”
Bauer said that on both occasions, the woman spent the night with him after the sexual encounters and she left the following morning.
“And when she left, she certainly did not look anything like the photos that were later attached to a family court declaration and circulated by her lawyers to the media,” he said.
He vehemently denied in the video every punching, scratching or sodomizing the woman.
“I never assaulted her in any way at any time, and while we did have consensual rough sex, the disturbing acts and conduct that she described simply did not occur,” he said.
“Now, you may not be my biggest fan, or agree with everything that I’ve said over the years, and that’s OK,” he said. “I’m not a perfect person. If you want to judge me for engaging in rough sex with a woman that I hardly knew, that’s OK too.”
He acknowledged that he has made “some poor choices” in his life, and said allegations like those made by his accuser are “extremely serious and should be thoroughly investigated.”
“However, it’s extremely alarming to watch how quickly and willingly and knowingly certain members of the media have taken one side of the story and tried to convict me in the court of public opinion without having or choosing to report anywhere close to all the facts,” he said.
He went on to thank the “numerous teammates and players and coaches and fans and friends and even complete strangers who have reached out to me and stood by me, even if it was in silence.”
“To those people, your support and kind words mean much more than you know,” he said.
Bauer signed a three-year contract with the Dodgers on Feb. 11, 2020, worth $102 million, including $40 million this season, reported to be the highest single-season salary in baseball history. Bauer won the National League Cy Young Award the previous season while with the Cincinnati Reds.
