Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer returns to professional baseball.
Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer will return to the Yokohama DeNA Baystars (Japan) for the 2025 season after not being with the club last year, via Nikkan Sports.
Bauer's return provides a major boost to DeNA's hopes of repeating as league champions and Japan Series victors, as the team captured its first league title in 27 years in 2024.
Bauer, 34, originally signed with DeNA in 2023 after being released by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His release came following a reinstatement from Major League Baseball due to a violation of the league's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Despite his controversial exit from MLB, he impressed in his first season with DeNA, posting a 10-4 record with a 2.76 ERA in 19 games.
Bauer continued his attempt at a return to the MLB via the Mexican League in 2024, where Bauer won 10 of 14 starts and earned Best Pitcher honors.
His performance reinforced his status as a proven top-tier talent.
Bauer, who previously played for the MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, and Dodgers, has a history of pitching success, including a standout 2020 season where he led the league with a 1.73 ERA and captured the NL Cy Young Award.
While Bauer's return is celebrated by many, his career has been marred by controversy.
He was central to a pitch doctoring scandal in MLB, where he publicly discussed the widespread use of grip-enhancing substances among pitchers.
Although no conclusive evidence was found linking Bauer to the use of such substances, speculation surrounding his fastball's spin rate arose following MLB's crackdown on illegal pitching aids.
In addition to the pitch doctoring allegations, Bauer faced legal issues related to accusations of sexual assault. In 2021, Bauer was placed on administrative leave during an investigation into the assault of a woman in San Diego.
No criminal charges were filed, and Bauer later sued the woman for defamation, which was settled in 2023 without financial exchange.
Bauer also faced lawsuits from other women over the course of his career, all of which he has denied.
In 2024, Bauer filed a lawsuit against a woman who had previously accused him of sexual assault, claiming she had defrauded him regarding a fake pregnancy.
These legal battles continue to shape his public image, though Bauer has publicly moved on from much of the controversy surrounding his past.
Despite these issues, Bauer's return to DeNA signals a fresh start, with the team eager to capitalize on his pitching prowess as they aim for another successful season.
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SOURCE: Clutchpoints
