Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave extended through April 16

Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave was extended through April 16, per multiple reports, which will keep the Dodgers pitcher sidelined through the first eight games of the regular season.

Bauer was placed on administrative leave last weekend at the start of spring training, while still under investigation under MLB’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. That leave was set to expire on Sunday until the extension, which through the policy is agreed to by MLB and the players union.

The league’s investigation stems from a pair of sexual encounters at Bauer’s home in April and May 2021. A woman filed for a restraining order against Bauer last June 29 in Los Angeles, a request that was denied by a judge in August. After a five-month investigation, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office on February 7 declined to press criminal charges against Bauer, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

MLB placed Bauer on paid administrative leave on July 2, where he stayed for the remainder of the season and playoffs. He missed the final 81 games and 12 playoff games. Taking his current leave through April 16 has him miss the Dodgers’ first eight games of the season, putting the total missed time at 101 games, and counting.

Bauer’s agents released a statement regarding the extension of his administrative leave.

Per the league’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, there doesn’t need to be an arrest nor criminal charges filed for a player to be suspended. The policy, agreed to by the league and players union, strictly defines each term. This is the definition for sexual assault:

Sexual assault refers to a range of behaviors, including a completed nonconsensual sex act, an attempted nonconsensual sex act, and/or nonconsensual sexual contact. Lack of consent is inferred when a person uses force, harassment, threat of force, threat of adverse personnel or disciplinary action, or other coercion, or when the victim is asleep, incapacitated, unconscious or legally incapable of consent.

It’s unclear when MLB’s investigation will end, but pushing Bauer’s leave through the first week of the season leaves enough time for a scheduled hearing in Los Angeles court.

Bill Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times reported on that case on February 28:

The woman who accused Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer of sexual assault implemented “a plan to seek rough sex so she could later seek to profit,” attorneys for Bauer have alleged in a court filing.

Bauer has asked the Pasadena Police Department to provide the woman’s cellphone records, a request the woman’s attorney has decried as “a way to continue harassing and disturbing” the woman six months after she was denied a restraining order against him.

The woman’s attorney has asked the court to throw out the subpoena Bauer issued to the Pasadena police and requested $10,000 in sanctions against him and his attorneys. A hearing is set April 4.

Given the extension of Bauer’s administrative leave, that allows enough time for this hearing to proceed, and perhaps whether that would affect MLB’s investigation.