In the wake of his suspension and release from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Trevor Bauer spent the 2023 seasons in which MLB careers are going to die.
The 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year contract with the Yokohama DeNa BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. That came two years after a $102 million deal with the Dodgers.
Bauer received a 324-game suspension due to sexual abuse allegations. He was ultimately reduced to 194 to reflect the time he missed on administrative leave in 2021 and the games for which he was suspended in 2022.
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Yokohama DeNA BayStars pitcher Trevor Bauer throws a pitch against the Hiroshima Carp during a baseball game in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Wednesday, May 3, 2023. (Kyodo News via AP)
When the suspension was lifted, the Dodgers opted to part ways with him, making him a free agent. However, he did not sign with any MLB team and crossed the Pacific Ocean.
For many MLB players, the NPB is where players hold out hope of getting their careers back on track, but it’s often where it ultimately fizzles out.
For Bauer, however, his career could have been revitalized.
“When I went to Japan last year, I had a really good year and set new personal highs in speed,” Bauer recently told Fox News Digital. “My average speed was the second highest of my career, top speed was the highest of my career.”
Fans wearing jerseys with baseball player Trevor Bauer’s name and number watch his pitch at a stadium in Yokosuka, Japan, Sunday, April 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephen Wade)
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Let Bauer, notoriously known as one of baseball’s “nerds,” talk about levo (he also said he developed a new pitch).
He pitched to a 2.76 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and a 9.0 ERA.
Off the field, however, it was a breath of fresh air for Bauer, who was celebrated in Japan while long a villain in the United States.
“The experience in Japan was incredible…” Bauer said.
“The fans were fantastic… Every game there is like a European soccer game. Band in the stands, chanting, drums, crazy energy, sold out, stadium packed. The fans were amazing for me personally, just walking around around the city. I can’t.” “I don’t even count the number of pictures and autographs I signed. People were so excited to see me. It was great. I can talk forever about how great the experience was.”
Now Bauer wants to return to the major leagues and, after his success in Japan, hopes to do so.
Trevor Bauer, left, listens to a reporter’s question after a warm-up match in Hiratsuka, southwest of Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephen Wade)
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“I think I’m one of the best pitchers in the world. I think, talent-wise, I deserve to play in the MLB,” he said. “Obviously there are external circumstances, so I hope to get a second chance, but I definitely hope to play.”
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