MLB
Trevor Bauer settles sexual assault lawsuit: Will the former LA Dodgers pitcher return to the MLB?
The former Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher has settled a court case with accuser Lindsey Hill.
Trevor Bauer has settled a sexual assault lawsuit with accuser Lindsey Hill, bringing to a close a year-long court battle between the two.
TMZ Sports has reported that neither Bauer nor Hill will pay either as part of the agreement, but that Hill’s insurance company will pay her $300,000. Her lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said that that the outcome was a victory for Hill.
Hill’s 2021 accusations of sexual assault were followed by a defamation lawsuit from Bauer in 2022. Both parties will drop their lawsuits as part of this settlement.
Trevor Bauer’s MLB suspension
In 2021, as a result of the allegations against him, Bauer was hit was a 324-game Major League Baseball suspension. It was the longest punishment issued in MLB history and he was subject to an MLB investigation into the incidents.
Bauer was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 2023. He was a subject of multiple accusations of sexual assault, but was not found guilty in a court.
At the time the Dodgers released a statement saying: “Two extensive reviews of all the available evidence in this case - one by Commissioner Manfred and another by a neutral arbitrator - concluded that Mr. Bauer’s actions warranted the longest-ever active player suspension in our sport for violations of this policy.
“Now that this process has been completed, and after careful consideration, we have decided that he will no longer be part of our organization.”
Will Trevor Bauer return to MLB?
Bauer’s initial record-breaking suspension was reduced to 194 games in December 2022 by a neutral arbitrator, meaning that he is no longer suspended from MLB. In a statement, MLB said that they still believed that “a longer suspension was warranted”.
He is free to return to MLB but it remains to be seen if any teams will want to sign a player after such public issues. After reaching a settlement with Hill, Bauer released a social media video giving his take on the lawsuits.
At the end of the statement he said: ”I prefer to just remain focused on doing my job; winning baseball games and entertaining fans around the world. Today I’m happy to be moving on with my life.”