Trevor Bauer is no longer a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team designated the right-handed pitcher for assignment on Friday less than two weeks after he was reinstated from suspension after an independent arbitrator shortened his 324-game suspension to 194-games on December 22, 2022.
The DFA move means that the Dodgers have seven days to release or trade him, which seems unlikely. They will then have to eat $22.5 million in salary for the 2023 season, and the former NL Cy Young Award winner will be free to sign with any MLB team for the league minimum salary of $720,000.
The Dodgers released a statement on Friday confirming the findings of MLB's initial investigation that led to Bauer's 324-game suspension, the longest ever under the current domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
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"The Dodgers organization believes that allegations of sexual assault or domestic violence should be thoroughly investigated, with due process given to the accused. From the beginning, we have fully cooperated with Major League Baseball's investigation and strictly followed the process stipulated under MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Two extensive reviews of all the available evidence in this case - one by Commissioner Manfred and another by a neutral arbitrator - concluded that Mr. Bauer's actions warranted the longest every active player suspension in our sport for violations of this policy. Now that this process has been completed, and after careful consideration, we have decided that he will no longer be part of our organization."
Bauer signed with the Dodgers as a free agent ahead of the 2021 season on a three-year, $102.5 million contract with a player option after each year. He was suspended with pay in early July of that year, after news broke that a San Diego woman had sought a restraining order against Bauer for alleged sexual assault.
Bauer was never charged with a crime by the Pasadena Police Department, and the Los Angeles court system declined to pursue criminal charges.
Bauer was suspended for two seasons by MLB in May of 2022, but the MLB players' association filed an appeal on his behalf and a three-person panel, led by independent arbitrator Martin Schienman, began hearing the case on May 23.
Schienman issued a ruling on December 22, shortening Bauer's suspension from the original 324-games to 194-games, reinstating Bauer immediately, but assigning a 50-game without pay stipend for the beginning of the 2023 season.
The ruling meant that the Dodgers had until January 6, 2023 to make a decision on whether or not to release Bauer, or add him back on the 40-man roster. Because of the 50-game without pay ruling, the Dodgers would only be on the hook for $22 million of Bauer's initial $32 million salary for the 2023 season.
Bauer went 8-5 with the Dodgers in 17 starts with a 2.59 ERA in 2021.
Bauer released a statement of his own after the Dodgers announcement on Friday evening:
"While we were unable to communicate throughout the administrative leave and arbitration process, my representatives spoke to Dodgers leadership immediately following the arbitration decision. Following two weeks of conversations around my return to the organization, I sat down with Dodgers leadership in Arizona yesterday who told me that they wanted me to return and pitch for the team this year. While I am disappointed by the organization's decision today, I appreciate the wealth of support received from the Dodgers clubhouse. I wish the players all the best and look forward to competing elsewhere."
