The Dodgers pitcher's lawyer released select text messages earlier this week to counter his accuser's arguments.
Editor's Note: This story includes graphic descriptions of sexual assault allegations.
MLB and MLBPA extended Trevor Bauer's administrative leave for a fourth time, through Aug. 13, The Athletic's Katie Strong reported.
Bauer continues to be paid by Los Angeles while on leave, standard practice for MLB when investigations are ongoing. He is reportedly still receiving around $1.5 million per week and continues to deny the allegations.
The woman alleged Bauer committed several nonconsensual acts after what began as consensual sex. She alleges the pitcher choked her unconscious and penetrated her anally without consent in April.
A similar incident allegedly happened again in May, when the woman said Bauer choked her unconscious. When she regained consciousness, the pitcher was repeatedly punching her in the head. She ended up in the emergency room due to severe trauma.
Pasadena police and the league continue to investigate the sexual assault allegations made against the Dodgers pitcher. However, the pitcher's lawyer released select text messages earlier this week to counter the woman's arguments. His legal team has consistently argued that the interactions were all consensual.
The messages were publicly filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. According to the Los Angeles Times, one of the texts from after the April incident indicate the woman enjoyed being with Bauer and would see him again.
However, the messages also include discussions of the injuries she endured.
Following the May incident, the woman texted her cousin a photo of her injured face. The cousin responded, “As long as it is consensual, I don’t have to kill him.”
The woman replied, “It was consensual, but I didn’t like the two black eyes ?? Look, he [definitely] took it too far. don’t you think lol.”
She previously provided photographs after the assault to the court, according to The Athletic, which showed that her face was "visibly bruised and swollen, including under both of her eyes. She also has a swollen jaw, bloodied lip and scratches to the side of her face."
Bryan Freedman, an attorney for the woman, released a statement on the new filing to the Times, saying, “Mr. Bauer’s defense team is deliberately twisting the tone of text messages exchanged with an assault victim within hours of her being attacked to try to minimize the long-lasting impact on her physical and mental well-being to this day.”
He added: “In case after case, the law is extraordinarily clear: supposed ‘consent’ of the victim is not a defense to assault and battery, especially when it results in bodily harm, but, to be clear, this victim did not consent to be punched in her face, punched in her head, punched in her buttocks or repeatedly punched in her vagina.”
MLB placed Bauer on paid leave July 2 under the league's joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, and he appeared in court July 23. The league can continue to extend Bauer's leave past August 13.
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