Former Los Angeles Dodgers ace Trevor Bauer is currently having a second stint with the Yokohama DeNa BayStars in the NPB. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner with the Cincinnati Reds, Bauer hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2021 and was subsequently released by the Dodgers organization in January 2023 following a lengthy investigation against him into charges of assault. In return, Bauer sued the woman in question for defamation.
While the lawsuits were settled in 2023 with neither party admitting to any wrongdoing, it cost Bauer his career in the MLB. The RHP didn’t get disheartened and instead took his talents elsewhere. He played the 2023 baseball season with the BayStars in Japan and then moved to Mexico in 2024 to play with the Red Devils of Mexico. Ahead of the 2025 season, he was back in Japan after signing a one-year deal with the BayStars.
Yokohama DeNa BayStars Ace Trevor Bauer Shares His Take on the Hardest Position in Baseball
On Tuesday, Bauer shared a video on Instagram, which showcased the former Dodgers ace giving his opinion on the hardest defensive position on the field. Bauer can be heard saying, “What do you think is the hardest position in baseball? Catcher? You have to manage a staff, block balls in the dirt, and throw guys out. Shortstop? Usually have the fastest hands on the field and have to make wild throws on the run.”
He further continued, “What about center field? Covers more ground than anyone, and you have to be willing to lay out to record the out, but sometimes… You don’t realize how hard a position is until you see the play right in front of your eyes, like I did. I started the at-bat with a cutter just off the plate that he took for ball one. I went back to it that just missed above the zone, and now I am down 2-0.”
Furthermore, he added, “And I need a strike bad. So, I go curveball that’s painted bottom corner, and he takes it to make it 2-1 now. Then I try to get in on him with a splitter that runs tight to his hands, and he turns on it. He caught it clean and ripped it down the line for what I thought was going to be extra bases, but this is where third base makes its case for the hardest position in baseball.”
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Bauer is having a difficult second stint with the BayStars in the 2025 NPB season. In his first stint, he finished the campaign 10-4 in 19 starts and also received an All-Star nod. This time, he has already exceeded the losses from the first stint, as he is 4-6 through 14 starts in the current campaign. Bauer is expected to make his next start of the season against the Chunichi Dragons at home in Yokohama Stadium next week.