Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts has expressed his hope that major league teams will consider signing his former teammate, pitcher Trevor Bauer, during the upcoming winter season. Betts shared his thoughts with the Los Angeles Times on Monday while attending the World Series in Phoenix.
Betts had been invited by Major League Baseball to Game 3 between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks in order to provide content for the league’s cable channel and social media platforms. The Dodgers had released Bauer in January following his suspension for violating baseball’s policy on domestic violence and sexual assault. An independent arbitrator later reduced his unprecedented 324-game suspension to 194 games.
After failing to secure a contract with any other team, Bauer went on to pitch in Japan before returning to the MLB. He was honored as the recipient of the 2020 NL Cy Young Award for his outstanding performance.
Betts spoke highly of Bauer, stating that his personal experience with the pitcher differs greatly from the experiences shared by others. Although Betts holds a positive opinion of Bauer, he acknowledges that he does not have control over the decision to sign him, as it is a complex matter that extends beyond just baseball.
In a recent development, Bauer reached a settlement in a legal dispute with a woman who accused him of assault and sexual misconduct in 2021, as confirmed by his attorneys. The allegations had led to Bauer being placed on administrative leave by MLB in July 2021. However, prosecutors decided not to file charges in February 2022.
There is a separate accusation against Bauer from an Arizona woman who claims that he held a knife to her throat and choked her until she lost consciousness during a rape incident in late 2020. Bauer has denied these allegations and has countersued, accusing the woman of fabricating a pregnancy and attempting to extort money from him. It is important to note that the Associated Press typically does not disclose the identities of those who have reported cases of sexual assault.
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