Bauer has leave extended, won't return in '21

LOS ANGELES -- Trevor Bauer, who has been on administrative leave since July 2, won’t throw another pitch for the Dodgers this season.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed on Friday to extend Bauer’s leave through the end of the postseason. Placement on administrative leave is not a pronouncement of guilt.

Bauer has been away from the team since a woman sought an ex parte restraining order against him, alleging that Bauer got physical with her during two encounters earlier this year.

Last month, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge lifted that restraining order. The Pasadena (Calif.) Police Department also recently handed over findings from its criminal investigation to the LA County District Attorney’s office, which will ultimately decide whether to pursue criminal charges against Bauer.

MLB’s investigation into the allegations is ongoing. Because of that, and given that there are a limited number of games remaining on the Dodgers’ schedule, it was determined that Bauer would not be physically ready to return to the mound this season.

“Today Mr. Bauer agreed to extend his administrative leave through the playoffs in a measure of good faith and in an effort to minimize any distraction to the Dodgers organization and his teammates,” Bauer’s co-agents, John Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, said in a statement. “He continues to cooperate with the MLB investigation and refute the baseless allegations against him.”

Under MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, Commissioner Rob Manfred can discipline Bauer regardless of whether criminal charges are filed against the right-hander.

The Dodgers, who signed Bauer to a three-year, $102 million deal last offseason, had already been operating as if the right-hander would not pitch again in 2021. The team acquired Max Scherzer at the Trade Deadline and also traded for left-hander Danny Duffy to provide depth.