LOS ANGELES — Hours after Trevor Bauer was suspended two years by Major League Baseball for violating its domestic violence and sexual assault policy, the Dodgers pitcher was accused of sexual assault by a third woman in a story published by the Washington Post on Friday.
In the Post story, the woman accused Bauer of choking her unconscious during sex, and of slapping her without her consent and sodomy while she was unconscious.
The woman, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, was not identified, but said she shared her allegations with MLB during its investigation and would be willing to testify when an independent arbitrator hears Bauer's appeal of the suspension.
Bauer's representatives denied the woman's allegations.
The Columbus woman is now the third to publicly accuse Bauer of sexual assault. The first was a San Diego woman who filed a temporary restraining order against him last June, leading MLB to put Bauer on administrative leave as it launched an investigation. Last August, another Ohio woman accused Bauer of sexual assault in a different Washington Post story.
All three women said they initially consented to sex with Bauer but alleged he committed nonconsensual acts during their encounters. All three reportedly spoke to the league during its investigation.
Bauer has denied each claim and has not been charged with any crimes.
The California woman had her request for a permanent restraining order denied last August by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, who said the woman's written testimony had been "materially misleading." On Monday, Bauer filed a lawsuit against the woman and one of her attorneys, claiming she had plotted to set him up in hopes of receiving a financial settlement.
The other Ohio woman sought a protection order against Bauer in 2020 but later dismissed it after Bauer's attorneys threatened legal action, according to the Post. After she made her allegations public, Bauer claimed she was also trying to extort him for money.
The Columbus woman said she and Bauer began a three-year relationship in April 2013, when Bauer was playing in the minor leagues in Cleveland's organization.
She told the Post that Bauer choked her unconscious without consent, including one instance in which she allegedly had convulsions. She also said she is in possession of a video that she claims shows him choking her during sex, but that she didn't share it with MLB investigators. She claimed there were times when she regained consciousness, Bauer would be anally penetrating her without consent.
The woman said she decided to come forward with her allegations after seeing the other claims against him.
If Bauer's two-year, 324-game suspension is upheld, he would not be eligible to pitch again until 2024, after his current contract with the Dodgers expires.
