MLB pitcher Sam Dyson sued by his ex-girlfriend over claims he ‘raped and battered her’

The former girlfriend of suspended Major League free agent Sam Dyson has filed a lawsuit against the 33-year-old pitcher over allegations of sexual battery, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, including a claim that he pressured her to abort their unborn child in 2019.

Dyson was already suspended for the 2021 season under MLB’s domestic violence policy following an investigation into claims made by his ex-girlfriend, Alexis Blackburn, in 2019. The ban was the longest ever under MLB’s domestic violence policy, as Blackburn’s attorney noted in her lawsuit filed against Dyson in Florida on Monday. 

‘Defendant Dyson raped, battered, and terrorized someone he claimed he loved,’ reads Blackburn’s lawsuit, which was provided to DailyMail.com by her attorney. ‘Because of his corroborated conduct, Major League Baseball handed down the longest suspension for violation of its domestic violence policy in the history of the sport.’

The former girlfriend of suspended Major League free agent Sam Dyson (left) has filed a lawsuit against the 33-year-old pitcher over her allegations of sexual battery, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, including a claim that he pressured her to abort their unborn child in 2019. Dyson was already suspended for the 2021 season under MLB’s domestic violence policy following an investigation into claims made by his ex-girlfriend, Alexis Blackburn (right), in 2019

Among the claims in her lawsuit, Blackburn accuses Dyson of tripping her into their bathtub in 2016, causing her to crack her ribs, and said he once threw baseballs at both her and her cat, leaving her with bruises.

On multiple occasions, she claims, Dyson shoved her head into a wall, breaking some of her teeth and damaging her inner ear in one instance.

Blackburn also included multiple allegations of sexual battery against Dyson, saying she begged him to stop, but he refused.

Dyson frequently became enraged with jealousy, according to Blackburn, who said he forced her to quit multiple jobs to focus on household duties and accused her of sleeping with other men. 

He also used racial slurs during these outbursts, Blackburn claims.  

‘Dyson called plaintiff ”N-word lover” and a ”whore,”’ reads one allegation stemming from 2017. ‘Dyson also referred to other players as ”poor Mexicans,” ”N-words,” and a multitude of racist names.’

When he was away on road trips, Dyson allegedly ordered Blackburn to stay home and is said to have pressured her into selling her car.

Dyson was a fourth-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays out of South Carolina in 2010, and has since posted a 24-23 record with a 3.40 earned-run average over 375 Major League relief appearances and one start. In his brief career, Dyson has also played for the Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins. He has not pitched in an MLB game since 2019, and spent much of the 2020 season recovering from shoulder surgery

Blackburn’s attorney, Robert Buschel, revealed the allegations in Monday’s lawsuit.

‘Mr. Dyson has not accepted responsibility for his behavior, thus he has forced this matter to be tried and proven in front of a jury,’ Buschel said. ‘We have no doubt that the findings of the jury will be identical to that of Major League Baseball and that Mr. Dyson will be held to account for his violent actions against Ms. Blackburn.

‘Alexis Blackburn hopes this lawsuit will help all women who are in an abusive relationship. She hopes it provides the freedom to escape abusive relationships and calls on all professional sports’ leagues take notice and to take quantum steps to eliminate the acceptance of domestic violence and sexual violence in sports.’

In January of 2019, Blackburn claims in her lawsuit, Dyson had a violent outburst when she told him she was 25 weeks pregnant with their child.  

‘When Dyson learned she was pregnant he spat in face and slammed her head into the wall resulting in damage to her teeth as well as her inner ear,’ reads the lawsuit. 

‘Dyson then forced himself on her and sexually battered her. Plaintiff told him it was painful and asked him to stop multiple times. Dyson ignored her and said he was almost finished. Once he finished he stated, ”I always wanted to have sex with a pregnant woman.”’

Blackburn claims that Dyson hurt their cat (pictured) during one incident in November of 2019

Later, when she told him she still wanted to have the child, Dyson threatened to tell her ill grandfather that Blackburn wanted to give birth out of wedlock, which would have upset the elderly man, according to the lawsuit.

Dyson allegedly paid $5,000 to terminate the pregnancy in 2019.

Ultimately, after he allegedly attacked her and her cat in the early hours of November 6, 2019, Blackburn claims she fled their Jupiter, Florida home.

Dyson’s Tampa-based attorney, Todd Foster, told DailyMail.com: ‘We have many differences with what is alleged in the lawsuit and the manner in which it was brought. We will address these soon with the court.’ 

As Blackburn confirmed to DailyMail.com, the 12-year-old cat Snuckles was inside the toy box and did suffer an injury ‘as a direct result of Sam [Dyson] kicking the box’

MLB launched an investigation into Dyson in November of 2019 after Blackburn made an Instagram post referencing domestic violence against her by an unnamed individual.

Blackburn also accused Dyson of domestic violence in an interview with DailyMail.com on November 26, 2019, adding that she planned to cooperate with the league investigation.

Blackburn declined to go into specifics about her allegations against the free agent at the time, but did tell DailyMail.com that ‘it’s deeper than just physical abuse.’

The final straw, Blackburn said, was the November 6, 2019 incident when Dyson kicked her cat’s toy box, resulting in an injury to the feline: ‘My cat was in the box at the time.’

Jupiter police interviewed both Blackburn and Dyson in January of 2020.

Blackburn claimed Dyson subjected her to multiple incidents of physical abuse over their years-long relationship.

Dyson, meanwhile, said he and Blackburn had a ‘verbally violent and toxic relationship.’

Blackburn took her cat Snuckles (left) and left the home she shared with Dyson in 2019

Blackburn spoke with MLB investigators in October of 2020, leading to Dyson’s year-long suspension in March.

‘I have concluded that Mr. Dyson violated our [Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy] and that discipline is appropriate,’ MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.

‘Consistent with the terms of the policy, Dyson will participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program supervised by the Joint Policy Board,’ the league added.

According to The Athletic, several women were involved in the league probe into Dyson, and as mentioned in Blackburn’s lawsuit, a previous girlfriend also accused the pitcher of physical abuse. 

Dyson was a fourth-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays out of South Carolina in 2010, and has since posted a 24-23 record with a 3.40 earned-run average over 375 Major League relief appearances and one start. In his brief career, Dyson has also played for the Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins.

He has not pitched in an MLB game since 2019, and spent much of the 2020 season recovering from shoulder surgery.

The public first became aware of Blackburn’s claims in 2019, when she began referencing the allegations of abuse on her Instagram account