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Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and other team officials spoke Wednesday for the first time about the organization’s decision to release pitcher Trevor Bauer in January.
“With the way that things transpired,” Friedman said, “we feel good about our decision to move on.”
The organization has said little on the matter since July 2021, when Bauer was placed on paid administrative leave after a San Diego woman accused him of sexual assault. Dodgers officials have continued to be limited in their comments, even after releasing Bauer in the wake of his reinstatement following the longest suspension in the history of baseball’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. The team’s silence stemmed in part from the collective bargaining agreement’s language surrounding clubs discussing active free agents.
Bauer has denied any wrongdoing. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to bring charges against Bauer last February. Over the summer, two other women alleged similar interactions with Bauer in the past, as first reported by the Washington Post.
Bauer remains unsigned as Friedman, club president Stan Kasten and general manager Brandon Gomes addressed reporters Wednesday, detailing a signing that has continued to be a topic of discussion 20 months after he last threw a big-league pitch. The Dodgers signed Bauer to three-year, $102 million deal in February 2021.