The last time Trevor Bauer pitched in MLB was in 2021, wearing the Los Angeles Dodgers uniform.
He was then placed on administrative leave and suspended by MLB following a sexual assault investigation that lasted months.
After pitching the 2023 campaign in Japan, the right-hander is looking for another chance to pitch in the majors now that his suspension is over.
Teams have been wary of signing him, though.
This past weekend, he had a chance to pitch against Dodgers minor leaguers while playing for the Asian Breeze, a barnstorming squad.
He did very well.
“Trevor Bauer touches 99MPH and goes 3 scoreless with 4 K and 1 BB for @breeze_asian vs. @Dodgers minor leaguers today,” Prospect Dugout tweeted.
Trevor Bauer touches 99MPH and goes 3 scoreless with 4 K and 1 BB for @breeze_asian vs @Dodgers minor leaguers today@BauerOutage
🎥 @Pete_Soto23 pic.twitter.com/q7AJxO25mK
— Prospect Dugout (@prospectdugout) March 10, 2024
Yes, the level of competition wasn’t optimal, but Bauer showed poise, quality stuff, and great command of his arsenal, not to mention elite velocity.
He continues to look for an MLB opportunity and said, according to ESPN, that money is not an issue for him:
“I mean, if you think about it, I should have the opportunity to sign with a big league team,” Bauer said. “I’m just asking for the league minimum, so it’s not a money thing. I’ve served my suspension twice over. I’ve been cleared of everything in the legal system. If you think about it logically, there’s really no reason I shouldn’t have a job.”
The 33-year-old comes with baggage, and teams fear signing him would create a PR nightmare given his controversial legal case.
Performance-wise, he still has what it takes to help any MLB team in the rotation, even though he might no longer be an ace.
It’s the off-the-field stuff that is scaring teams away.
NEXT:
Yankees Manager Shares Surprising Aaron Judge Health Update
