Reinstatement Of Trevor Bauer Causes Serious Ethical Dilemma For Los Angeles Dodgers

Major League arbitrator Martin Scheinman has reduced an initial 324-game suspension of Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer to 194 games.

The decision was announced Thursday, December 22, 2022.

Bauer, who will turn 32 in January, was suspended for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.

Bauer has been reinstated immediately.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Bauer has lost $37.5M in salary from his $102M Dodgers contract.

Now the Dodgers are faced with a critical decision. Do they bring Bauer back to their team? Do they pay him the remainder of his contract and release him?

The Dodgers have until January 6, 2023, to make the decision to release him or add him to their 40-man roster. The amount remaining on his contract is guaranteed, regardless of which decision the team makes.

“While we believe a longer suspension was warranted, MLB will abide by the neutral arbitrator’s decision,” Major League Baseball said in a statement regarding Bauer’s reinstatement.

Sexual Assault Allegations Against Trevor Bauer

A woman, who was only identified as “Ms. Hill” claimed that she met Trevor Bauer through Instagram. Through her attorney, the woman claimed to have met Bauer on April 21, 2020.

The woman indicated that she arrived at Bauer’s Pasadena residence during their first encounter. She alleges they had “an emotionally vulnerable conversation.” She alleges that Bauer began to become aggressive after they began kissing and cuddling in his room.

The woman alleges that Bauer choked her with her own hair, among other acts for which she did not consent.

On August 19, 2021, “Ms. Hill” was denied a restraining order. A court found there was no supporting evidence that Bauer caused the woman harm, according to Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman.

Bauer was never charged with any crime.

Once the news of Bauer’s encounter with “Ms. Hill: was made public, MLB placed Bauer on administrative leave, with pay,

MLB suspended Bauer without pay for 324 games on April 22, 2022.

Now, that suspension has been reduced.

Similarities To Cleveland Browns Deshaun Watson:

The allegations against Bauer are similar in some ways to the sexual misconduct charges made by at least 23 women against National Football League quarterback Deshaun Watson.

After numbers of women came forward claiming Watson attempted to solicit sexually related acts and activities, a Harris County, Texas grand jury declined to charge Watson. At the time, Watson was a quarterback for the Houston Texans.

Watson was ultimately traded by the Texans to the Cleveland Browns.

Watson was suspended 11-games by the National Football League, and fined $5M.

Watson is now the starting quarterback for the Browns.

Fan reaction to the Browns trade for Watson has been very mixed. Clearly, scores of fans have voiced outrage at the team trading for a player that had to settle countless cases of sexual misconduct out of court. The backlash to the Browns has been, and continues to be significant.

However, there are fans that welcome the arrival of Watson, viewing him as an upgrade to the team’s roster, and offering hope for the future.

About Trevor Bauer:

Trevor Bauer is a 6-1, 205 pound starting pitcher with a rather checkered past in MLB.

Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 1st round of the 2011 Draft, the Diamondbacks traded Bauer as part of a three-team deal in 2012. When all the player movements were settled, Bauer ended up with the Cleveland Indians. He pitched for Cleveland for parts of seven seasons

Bauer pitched with Cleveland until he was once again part of a July 2019, three-team trade. He landed with the Cincinnati Reds, and pitched for the Reds for parts of two seasons.

Bauer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent, February 11, 2021.

Bauer was an All Star with Cleveland in 2018, and he won the National League Cy Young Award with the Dodgers in 2020.

In his last games on the mound with the Dodgers before being placed on Administrative Leave, and ultimately suspended in 2021, Bauer started 17 games. He had a record of 8-5 with a 2.59 Earned Run Average and 1.00 WHIP.

Bauer, who has a vast arsenal and array of pitches, has always been viewed as “unconventional” in his pitching preparation, training, and mechanics.

Pitching coaches and managers have engaged in differences of opinion with Bauer throughout his career. However, he has had solid pitching results wherever and whenever he has pitched.

The Dodgers Decision?

The Dodgers are faced with bringing Bauer back to a rotation that clearly could use his pitching skills.

Always a strength of the Dodgers, their rotation appears on paper to be a bit short.

If the season were to begin today, fangraphs.com lists the Dodgers rotation to be:

Clayton Kershaw-LHP

Julio Urias-LHP

Tony Gonsolin-RHP

Noah Syndergaard-RHP (recent free agent signing)

Dustin May-RHP

Right-hander Walker Buehler is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

What about Bauer? Does he fit? Can he still pitch? Has the layoff hurt him?

All the questions about Bauer’s abilities, or lack thereof, may be moot.

The biggest question for the Dodgers is likely the one about Bauer’s history. The accusations of sexual misconduct cannot be ignored.

Do the Dodgers want to deal with all the negativity of Bauer’s most recent suspension and the reason he was suspended?

Is it worth it to the Dodgers to forgive…but not forget?

The Dodgers are an iconic franchise. The Dodgers have had standards and values that have dictated their public reputation. Does returning Trevor Bauer to their roster sully that long-earned, and highly valued good name and good will of one of baseball’s most cherished franchises?

Do the Dodgers have the appetite to “eat” the remaining $22.5M on his contract?

How will the money Bauer will now be paid impact the Dodgers offseason plans? Do they want to sign a player or players and go over the MLB Luxury Tax? The first of four Luxury Tax thresholds is $233M.

RosterResource.com lists the Dodgers estimated 2023 payroll at $217M, without Bauer’s salary. Now they must pay him, regardless of whether he is on the roster or released.

Conclusions:

After winning his appeal to MLB for being suspended on charges of sexual misconduct, Trevor Bauer has been reinstated to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bauer served 194 of his original 324-game suspension.

The Dodgers must now pay Bauer’s salary, even if they choose to release him.

For the Dodgers, the ethical dilemma regarding Bauer’s team status must be resolved by January 6, 2023.

The decision to keep Bauer as part of the 40-man roster, or release him, making him a free agent, will have a profound impact on the Dodgers franchise. From many perspectives.