Dodgers star pitcher Trevor Bauer has filed a defamation lawsuit against the sports website Deadspin over its coverage of allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman last year.
Bauer, 31, announced on social media on Thursday night that he was taking the G/O Media-owned outlet and managing editor Chris Baud to court for "knowingly publishing false information" about the case.
According to a copy of the court filings posted by Bauer, Deadspin "persisted in publishing defamatory falsehoods even after other publications ... corrected their coverage."
Among the claims, the suit says Deadspin continued to report that the alleged victim suffered a fractured skull at Bauer's hands, based on initial reporting by The Athletic, and that Deadspin "deliberately disregarded" followup reporting indicating otherwise.
The 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner was placed on administrative leave last season after a judge granted the alleged victim a temporary ex parte restraining order against him in late June.
The judge later denied the alleged victim's request for a long-term restraining order, and authorities declined to press charges following a criminal investigation.
Bauer could still potentially face punishment from MLB under its personal conduct policy, though it would seem the matter is on hold amid the ongoing league lockout.
The pitcher hinted at potential legal recourse in the case in October, when he made his first public remarks on the case in a video published to his YouTube channel.
Deadspin was previously the subject of a high-profile lawsuit, brought by former WWF/E star Hulk Hogan over a sex tape that he said was acquired and published without his consent.
The jury sided with Hogan, awarding him over $100 million in damages in a verdict that led to former parent company Gawker's bankruptcy and the eventual sale of several of its imprints, including Deadspin, to Univision.
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