Former Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Trevor Bauer has been working hard to find a way to make it back to MLB. So far, it just hasn’t happened.
The 34-year-old hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021 following allegations of sexual assault, which led to him being placed on administrative leave and serving a lengthy suspension. That forced him to continue his baseball career overseas.
Bauer joined the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2023, part of Japan’s Central League. He also spent the 2024 season in the Mexican League, but it hasn’t gone especially well for Bauer.
This year, he is 4-3 with a 3.04 ERA—which isn’t bad. His latest start though was anything but encouraging.
Trevor Bauer’s Latest Start in Japan Wasn’t Promising
In 2024, Bauer went 10-0 with a 2.48 ERA in the Mexican League with Diablos Rojos del México before going back to Japan.
Unfortunately, his most recent start didn’t go well. Bauer’s last outing saw him go 5.2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits, 2 walks and 3 batters hit by pitch. He also struck out 6 and threw 130 pitches.
A screenshot from June 3 also showed that Bauer was one of the worst pitchers based on ERA in Japan—and it only got worse after this start.
Don’t let whatever legal wins Trevor Bauer gets make you forget that he is one of the worst pitchers in Japan pic.twitter.com/OSC07W1kqz
— Adam Scherer (@ShipMyMoneyDFS) June 3, 2025
At the end of April, Bauer did pitch well and raised some eyebrows as fans wondered if he had regained his touch. He tossed eight innings of one-run ball while striking out 10 batters, bringing flashbacks to his old days.
Trevor Bauer’s best start since returning to Japan
8.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 K, 129 P, 14 Whiffs
Season ERA now 3.81pic.twitter.com/0JzC0ltFXC— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) April 27, 2025
But he struggled with command this time out, a fact proved by his ugly stat line. As far as Bauer’s legal issues go, there was a recent update. His accuser, Lindsey Hill, was ordered to pay him $309,832.02 after failing to respond to a lawsuit Bauer filed.
Legal proceedings aside, Bauer’s performance on the mound hasn’t been what MLB teams want to see—making it even tougher for him to find a way back to a big-league roster this season or anytime soon. While some MLB teams are desperate for any starting pitching help, Bauer’s recent performance and off the field issues make it difficult for any manager to feel comfortable bringing him in.