Major League Baseball has warned Trevor Bauer that he could be subject to discipline and removal from a game if he wears custom-made cleats that say "FREE JOE KELLY" on one shoe and have an illustration of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher on the other.
Kelly had an eight-game suspension reduced to five after he intentionally threw at Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros in a late-July game.
Bauer dominated the Kansas City Royals in his start on Wednesday. He struck out nine and walked three in a complete-game victory.
"MLB told us that they had a new cleat policy this year, where they're allowing us to put kinda whatever we want on the cleats, as long as it wasn't offensive or political," he said after the game. "Apparently that's not the truth; apparently that's just ... if they agree with it or not."
MLB contacted the Reds and said the cleats are against the footwear regulations bargained by the league and the Major League Baseball Players Association, sources said.