Trevor

Bauer

It’s the same team Bauer pitched for in 2023 before he spent 2024 in Mexico. The 34-year-old right-hander last pitched in the majors for the Dodgers in 2021. He was then suspended for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, though he’s been eligible to pitch for major league teams since 2023.

Bauer worked out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning, getting Anthony Volpe to strike out swinging. He scattered four hits and two walks over his three scoreless frames. The 33-year-old right-hander signed on with the Diablos Rojas hoping to catch on with a major league team at some point.

Bauer will face the Yankees in a scheduled exhibition game on March 24 and then will start in five regular-season games in Mexico, the last coming on May 8. He hopes to land with an MLB club afterwards. Bauer spent last year in Japan after receiving no interest from major league teams.

The 33-year-old is hoping to get noticed by professional scouts and this is one way of doing it. The team he’s playing for is called Asian Breeze, a traveling club from Japan that plays scrimmages against squads of minor-leaguers from MLB clubs. Ironically, he will be going up players within the Dodgers organization. Los Angeles has distanced itself from Bauer since he was released in January of 2023 after serving the longest suspension (194 games) in the history of MLB and MLBPA’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. This will be closest Bauer has come to an MLB-affiliated competition since his suspension.

There have been no indications that any MLB teams are interested in giving the 33-year-old right-hander a shot after serving the longest suspension (194 games) in the history of MLB and MLBPA’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. Bauer pitched for the Yokohama deNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball in 2023 where he posted a 2.59 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 160/34 K/BB ratio over 156 2/3 innings.

Bauer spent this past season pitching for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball after being released by the Dodgers back in January after serving the longest suspension (194 games) in the history of MLB and MLBPA’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. The soon-to-be 33-year-old right-hander is a free agent this offseason, but it’s unclear whether any major league team will sign him at the moment.

Yamada adds that Bauer’s deal, which is pending a physical, also includes performance-based incentives. The 32-year-old right-hander was released by the Dodgers in January after serving the longest suspension (194 games) in the history of MLB and MLBPA’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

Bauer was designated for assignment by the Dodgers last week following the reduction of his domestic violence and abuse suspension. He passed through waivers unclaimed and is now a free agent with the ability to not only resume his career at the beginning of the 2023 season but to be had for the MLB minimum salary -- which is now $720,000. A whole lot of baggage would come with that, though, obviously. There’s no word yet on any interest from a new organization. Los Angeles still owes him $22.5 million.

Bauer could still be traded within the next week, but all signs point towards the Dodgers ultimately releasing him. Los Angeles remains on the hook for the $22.5 million left on Bauer’s contract and he will receive the major league minimum if he signs elsewhere. The 31-year-old righty was due to make $32 million this season, but that amount was reduced to a prorated amount after serving the longest suspension (194 games) in the history of the MLB and MLBPA’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. Bauer will be eligible to play immediately this season, but it’s unclear whether another team will even consider signing him.

This comes after Bauer’s suspension was reduced from 324 games to 194. The 31-year-old was handed a two-year suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy. Bauer is now eligible to play for the Dodgers, but the expectation is that he has thrown his last pitch for the organization. He’s still under contract for $32 million for the 2023 season.