Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES — In a story that broke just before game time on Tuesday, the celebrity gossip website TMZ is reporting that Dodgers starter Trevor Bauer is the subject of an investigation on a charge of sexual assault. Bauer, through his lawyer, vehemently denied the charge.
According to a follow-up report in the Los Angeles Times, “Lt. Bill Grisafe of the Pasadena Police Department said officials were investigating an allegation from a woman about an incident that allegedly occurred in Pasadena on or about May 16.”
Grisafe went on to say that police opened an investigation a few weeks ago but declined to provide any further information about the case. Court records do show a woman filed a restraining order against Bauer around that time, according to the Times.
Jon Fetterolf, one of Trevor Bauer’s agents, denied any wrongdoing by his client. In a statement, he said the alleged assault happened within the context of a relationship between a woman and Bauer beginning in April. “Any allegations that the pair’s encounters were not 100% consensual are baseless, defamatory, and will be refuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Fetterolf said.
Major League Baseball said they were aware of the accusation and were examining it. In addition, the Dodgers released a statement Tuesday night:
“The Dodgers were made aware of the allegations against Trevor Bauer late this afternoon and immediately contacted Major League Baseball, which will be handling this matter,” the statement read. “The Dodgers take any allegations of this nature very seriously, but will have no further comment at this time.”
Obviously, this is just the beginning of a story that will probably be all over the news in the next few days. Hard to imagine Bauer being able to focus on anything but this for the near future. It’s pretty simple, though. If he did do it, he shouldn’t be playing. If he didn’t do it, his reputation has been damaged in a despicable way.
More to come, no doubt.
