Dodgers give Trevor Bauer suspension for violation of MLB's domestic violence policy after claims

Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has been suspended from Major League Baseball for two seasons over allegations he punched and choked a woman into unconsciousness during sex in 2021. 

Last July Bauer was accused of choking Lindsey Hill of San Diego, into unconsciousness, punching her repeatedly, and forcibly having anal sex without her consent during two sexual encounters.

Bauer has repeatedly denied the allegations, and this week filed a lawsuit against Hill. 

In February Los Angeles prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to prove the woman’s accusations beyond a reasonable doubt because of text messages sent by Hill to Bauer in which she indicated she wanted to have rough sex with him.

But on Friday the MLB suspended the pitcher for 342 games for violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy.

In a statement league commissioner Rob Manfred said an investigation conducted by the MLB came to the conclusion that Bauer’s conduct violated the policy and warranted a suspension, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

In accordance to policy, the MLB does not reveal the specific conduct that triggers a suspension. 

Bauer denied the accusations once again following the news of the suspension, which he says he plans to appeal.

Trevor Bauer steps out of the courthouse after the last day of the hearings in August 2021. During those hearings, a restraining order imposed upon Bauer against Lindsey Hill was lifted

Trevor Bauer steps out of the courthouse after the last day of the hearings in August 2021. During those hearings, a restraining order imposed upon Bauer against Lindsey Hill was lifted

Bauer says that Hill concocted her a story about non-consensual sex alongside her lawyer Fred Thiagarajah. Thiagarajah told The Washington Post in February 2022 that his client had been 'brutalized' by Bauer

Bauer says that Hill concocted her a story about non-consensual sex alongside her lawyer Fred Thiagarajah. Thiagarajah told The Washington Post in February 2022 that his client had been ‘brutalized’ by Bauer

Bauer denied the accusations once again following the news of the suspension, which he says he plans to appeal

Bauer denied the accusations once again following the news of the suspension, which he says he plans to appeal

The Dodgers also released a statement, saying they take all allegations of domestic abuse seriously and that they fully cooperated with the investigation

The Dodgers also released a statement, saying they take all allegations of domestic abuse seriously and that they fully cooperated with the investigation

‘In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence & sexual assault policy,’ he tweeted. ‘I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives & I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.’

Bauer’s team also released a statement, saying they take all allegations of domestic abuse seriously and that they fully cooperated with the investigation.

‘The Dodgers organization takes all allegations of this nature very seriously and does not condone or excuse any acts of domestic violence or sexual assault,’ the team’s statement said. ‘We’ve cooperated fully with MLB’s investigation since it began, and we fully support MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy, and the Commissioner’s enforcement of the Policy.’

The Dodgers added that they respect Bauer’s choice to appeal the commissioner’s decision and will not comment further until that process is complete. 

Bauer, who is the first of the MLB’s 16 players suspended under baseball’s sexual assault and domestic violence policy to not agree to a negotiated settlement, has the option to pursue an expedited appeal to the league’s independent arbitrator but he will not be able to play during the appeal process, the LA Times reported. 

The MLB’s decision comes just days after Bauer’s suit against Hill and one of her attorneys, Niranjan Fred Thiagarajah.

‘She wanted to destroy Mr. Bauer’s reputation and baseball career, garner attention for herself, and extract millions of dollars from Mr. Bauer,’ the lawsuit states.

Bauer was placed on administrative leave last July 2 under the joint domestic violence and sexual assault policy of Major League Baseball and the players’ association. 

He has continued to be paid his $32 million salary while on leave.

After winning his first Cy Young Award with the Cincinnati Reds in 2020, Bauer agreed to a $102 million, three-year contract to join his hometown Dodgers. He did not pitch after June 29 and finished with an 8-2 record and a 2.59 ERA in 17 appearances. He was paid his $28 million salary last year.

Bauer’s lawsuit states that ‘the damage to Mr. Bauer has been extreme’ after the woman alleged that he had choked her into unconsciousness, punched her repeatedly and had anal sex with her without her consent during two sexual encounters last year.

The Dodgers pitcher (pictured) will be suspended for 342 games, starting Friday, for violating the MLB's domestic violence policy

The Dodgers pitcher (pictured) will be suspended for 342 games, starting Friday, for violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy

The attorney for Bauer's alleged victim, Bryan Freedman, asked TMZ Sports to publish an unredacted photograph showing his client's alleged injuries saying the damage could NOT possibly be part of a consensual encounter

The attorney for Bauer’s alleged victim, Bryan Freedman, asked TMZ Sports to publish an unredacted photograph showing his client’s alleged injuries saying the damage could NOT possibly be part of a consensual encounter

The pitcher has repeatedly said that everything that happened between the two was consensual in the nights they spent together in last April and May at his Pasadena home. He said the two engaged in rough sex at her suggestion and followed guidelines they agreed to in advance. Each encounter ended with them joking and her spending the night.

Last month, Bauer filed a defamation lawsuit against The Athletic and a former reporter, accusing them of ‘creating and spreading the false narrative’ that he fractured the woman’s skull.

‘We’re confident in our reporting and plan to defend against the claim,’ Athletic spokesman Taylor Patterson previously said in a statement.

At the time of the sexual encounters, Lindsey Hill was 27 years old.

In his lawsuit, Bauer admits to the sexual encounters with Hill but has denied sodomizing her without her consent.

Bauer’s suit accuses Hill of pursuing him after their first sexual encounter to entrap him into a ‘a rougher sexual experience.’

He alleges that she did that ‘so she could later claim this sexual experience was not what she requested and thereby lay the groundwork for a financial settlement.’

The lawsuit says that Bauer earnestly believed that Hill was just expressing sexual preferences during her pursuit of him.

Due to Hill’s allegations, Bauer said that his relationship with the L.A. Dodgers was damaged thus costing him millions of dollars.

Following their liaisons, Bauer alleges that Hill concocted a story to police about sexual assault for financial gain. The suit says that Hill ‘generated a media blitz based on her lies,’ reports ESPN.

Her lawyer, Thiagarajah, is accused in the lawsuit of aiding Hill in creating her story.

Bauer goes on to say that the graphic images Hill’s face apparently battered and bruised were edited to appear worse, he says that Hill deleted phone records during the investigation and as well of making inconsistent statements.

One text message exchange shows Hill told Bauer her socks must come off when it's time 'to choke me out' and asked him to give her 'all the pain.' Hill told the LA County Court in August that she did not mean what she said and was just telling Bauer what 'he wanted to hear'

One text message exchange shows Hill told Bauer her socks must come off when it’s time ‘to choke me out’ and asked him to give her ‘all the pain.’ Hill told the LA County Court in August that she did not mean what she said and was just telling Bauer what ‘he wanted to hear’

The conversation became increasingly sexual as Bauer asks her to describe what she wanted

The conversation became increasingly sexual as Bauer asks her to describe what she wanted

Initially, Hill alleged that she awoke following her second dalliance with Bauer with a bruised vagina and buttocks, black eyes, swollen and cut lips, scratches as well as bruising on her gums.

In the latest lawsuit, Bauer says that Hill merely had a slightly swollen lip when she exited his home in May 2021.

One section of the suit read, ‘At all times during both sexual encounters, Mr. Bauer respected the boundaries established and agreed upon with [the woman].’

The lawsuit cites alleged text messages that Hill sent to her friends about a potential financial windfall stemming from her relationship with Bauer.’

But Hill claimed in her filing that she consented to have sex with Bauer on two occasions, but said he went overboard by punching her, chocking her unconscious, and sodomizing her without her consent.

Hill suffered injuries as a result of one encounter, including two black eyes, a bloodied swollen lip, significant bruising and scratching to one side of her face, according to her request for a restraining order against Bauer.

Bauer’s attorneys filed text messages between Hill and Bauer and others between Hill and her cousin in which she describes sex with their client as ‘consensual’ but said he ‘took it too far’ by leaving her with black eyes.

In response to the release of the Hill’s text messages, her attorneys provided DailyMail.com with an unredacted photos of their client showing the injuries she allegedly suffered as a result a sexual encounter with Bauer.

‘Look at this picture,’ attorney Bryan Freedman told DailyMail.com in a statement. ‘No one – absolutely no one – can consent to this, logically or legally. Trevor Bauer’s team continues to try to abuse an assault victim. They need to stop. Now.’

Hill’s original filing includes pictures of herself with scratches and bruising on her face and lips. She also said she had bruising on her gums and near her vagina, where Bauer had punched her repeatedly, leaving her ‘crying and violently shaking.’

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com show she was diagnosed with ‘significant head and facial trauma.’

In one text exchange, Hill told her cousin that her face was 'f***ed up' and asked the cousin not to say anything about the injuries

In one text exchange, Hill told her cousin that her face was ‘f***ed up’ and asked the cousin not to say anything about the injuries

The woman accusing Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer of sexual assault described their encounters as 'consensual,' but said he 'took it too far' by leaving her with black eyes, according to text messages released by his attorneys in August

The woman accusing Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer of sexual assault described their encounters as ‘consensual,’ but said he ‘took it too far’ by leaving her with black eyes, according to text messages released by his attorneys in August

‘It was consensual but like didnt expect two black eyes!?’ Hill wrote her Cousin in the newly released text messages obtained by DailyMail.com. ‘Like he def took it too far dont you think lol.’

Hill said she had sexual encounters with Bauer in April and May, but that both episodes turned violent. She specifically alleged that Bauer punched her in the face, vagina, and buttocks, and strangled her with her own hair until she lost consciousness. Hill was later hospitalized for her injuries.

During one encounter, Hill claims she passed out and found Bauer sodomizing her when she regained consciousness.

‘I agreed to have consensual sex; however, I did not agree or consent to what he did next,’ Hill said in her filing. ‘I did not agree to be sexually assaulted.’

Hill said she was bleeding and struggling to walk after non-consensual anal sex, but added: ‘In my state at that time, I did not think Trevor was a threat to do anything against my will for the remainder of the night.’

Who is Trevor Bauer?

The California-born Bauer ranks among baseball’s best pitchers and won the National League Cy Young award as a member of the Cincinnati Reds in 2020.

He celebrated his impressive 2020 season by inking a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers before the 2021 campaign.

Prior to his successful one-year stint with Cincinnati, Bauer pitched for the Cleveland Indians and Arizona Diamondbacks. He also played collegiately at UCLA where he set a single-season Pac-12 strikeout record.

The following day, Hill said, Bauer asked her jokingly if she was ‘feeling a little sore this morning?’

Hill said she told him that she didn’t enjoy it and said he seemed to understand.

Bauer continued to communicate with Hill over text messages and social media for the next three weeks, discussing baseball and her new job. Some of the conversations were of ‘a sexual nature.’

When the pair met again, Hill said they agreed on a safe word which she says Bauer ignored, choking her until she lost consciousness. When she awoke, he was punching her in the face, she claimed.

‘This was the first punch I felt but it is very possible that Trevor had already been punching and scratching the right side of my face while I was unconscious,’ she said.

‘Trevor then punched me hard with a closed fist to the left side of my jaw, the left side of my head, and both cheekbones. I remember this vividly and it was extremely startling and painful.

‘I was absolutely frozen and terrified. I could not speak or move. After punching me several times, he then flipped me back onto my stomach and began choking me with hair. I lost consciousness again.’

Hill said that she was crying and shaking after regaining consciousness and that Bauer reportedly began to console her, allegedly saying: ‘You’re safe. I’m here. You’re safe… I would never do those things to you if it wasn’t sexually.’

When she returned from Pasadena to San Diego the following day, Hill experienced severe headaches and began vomiting. After speaking with friends, she checked herself into a local emergency room where she told medical staff what happened to her.

In a subsequent text message exchange included in the petition and reviewed by DailyMail.com, Hill told Bauer that doctors thought the ‘bruises/swelling’ on her face would last another week, but that she wasn’t sure when her ‘head symptoms’ would subside.

‘I just want it all to go away,’ she wrote Bauer.

‘I feel so bad that this happened,’ he responded. ‘Wish I could be there with you through it.’

‘Just grateful that you are showing that you care,’ she wrote.

‘I do. I absolutely do,’ he texted her. ‘Never want to see you hurting.’

After going to the hospital, Hill spoke to multiple San Diego Police Department detectives but said she downplayed the alleged incident as ‘rough sex’ and did not reveal Bauer’s name.

‘I was afraid what Trevor would do if he found out,’ Hill said in the restraining order request. ‘I remain afraid that Trevor will find me and hurt me for going to the hospital.’

In the document, Hill explained that she spoke with Bauer by phone at the instruction of police, who were recording the call.

During that conversation, Hill said she asked Bauer: ‘What did you do to me when I was unconscious?’

In response, he allegedly admitted that he had repeatedly punched her in the buttocks. She said that he changed the topic when she said she did not consent to being punched.

Hill claimed that the call ended with Bauer acknowledging that he punched her and asking how they could move forward and if he could contact her.

‘I told him that he could because I did not know if the police still needed to collect more messages from him as evidence,’ she said. ‘It is my understanding that there is an open criminal investigation. I have not been informed whether the proper authorities intend to arrest and press charges against Trevor.

‘I intend to comply with whatever is requested of me in connection with criminal proceedings,’ she continued. ‘As the shock has worn off, I recognize the seriousness of the sexual assault I endured. I do not want Trevor to put anyone else through what I suffered.’

In one of her last messages to Bauer, Hill claims she told him the best way for him to help her would be to ‘never do this to anyone else ever again.’

‘I would never do anything to hurt anyone,’ he responded. ‘That includes you.’

source: dailymail.co.uk