Major leagues:
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer was given an unprecedented two-season suspension without pay Friday by Major League Baseball for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy, a charge he denied. He vowed to overturn the discipline before an arbitrator.
The 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner was placed on administrative leave last July 2 under the policy. The leave was originally set for seven days, was extended 13 times and was due to expire Friday.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the discipline, which covers 324 games without pay and if left in place would cost the 31-year-old pitcher just over $60 million from a $102 million, three-year contract that began last year.
Bauer vowed to challenge the suspension before Martin Scheinman, baseball’s independent arbitrator, who is faced with deciding whether Manfred had “just cause” for the discipline under the domestic violence policy agreed to in 2015.
A San Diego woman, whom the pitcher had met through social media, alleged that Bauer beat and sexually abused her last year. She later sought but was denied a restraining order. Los Angeles prosecutors said in February there was insufficient evidence to prove the woman’s accusations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bauer, who hasn’t played since the allegations surfaced and MLB began investigating, repeatedly has said that everything that happened between the two was consensual.
“In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy,” he said Friday in a statement. “I am appealing this action and expect to prevail. As we have throughout this process, my representatives and I respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.”
American League
Tampa Bay 6, Minnesota 1: Josh Lowe and Mike Zunino homered for the first time this season, Corey Kluber gave up one hit in six innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Minnesota 6-1, halting the Twins’ seven-game win streak.
Lowe’s first career homer came in a four-run first inning off Twins starter Dylan Bundy. Zunino’s solo shot put the Rays up 6-0 in the third.
Kluber (1-1) gave up one run on one hit and no walks in six innings, striking out six in his fourth start for the Rays.
Interleague
Miami 8, Seattle 6: Jorge Soler and Miguel Rojas homered and the Miami Marlins won their sixth straight game, beating the Seattle Mariners, 8-6.
Soler’s homer in the first inning bounced off a column behind the left-center field pavilion and was measured at 468 feet, the third-longest in the major leagues this season.
Jesús Sánchez’s two-run single with the bases loaded against Mariners starter Matt Brash capped a four-run second inning. Jesús Aguilar and Jacob Stallings also had RBI singles that stretched the Marlins’ lead to 6-3.
Miami increased its lead on Rojas’ two-run homer in the third. A day after getting hit in the jaw with a pitch against Washington, Rojas powered a fastball from Mariners’ reliever Matthew Festa over the wall in left for his first homer of the season.
Marlins starter Elieser Hernández settled down after a difficult second and limited Seattle to three runs over five innings. Hernández (2-1) scattered five hits, struck out five and walked one.