Trevor Bauer of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws the first pitch of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Bauer hasn’t appeared in MLB since 2021, but will face the New York Yankees this weekend as a member of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Trevor Bauer will face Major League Baseball batters for the first time since 2021 this weekend, when he makes a start for the Diablos Rojos de Mexico of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol against the New York Yankees on March 24.
I’ll be pitching against the @Yankees on March 24 as a member of the @diablosrojosmx. I’ve also agreed to pitch 5 games for the Diablos between April 11 and May 8 in lieu of a traditional spring training period as it’s the best way for me to stay ready to pitch. This will help me…
— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) March 18, 2024
Bauer announced his move to Mexico on his X account. In the same tweet, he announced that he’d make five appearances between April 11 and May 8 for the Diablos to stay ready to pitch.
The Diablos Rojos del Mexico open the 2024 LMB season on the road on April 11 against the Pericos de Puebla. They’ll face the New York Yankees in a pair of exhibition games at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City on March 24 and 25.
The UCLA alum recently faced minor leaguers in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization while pitching for a touring team called “Asian Breeze.” He last appeared in Major League Baseball in 2021 with the Dodgers, when he went 8-5 in 17 starts, posting a 3.01 ERA with 1.003 WHIP and 137 strikeouts.
Trevor Bauer pitched 3 innings against Dodgers minor leaguers while playing for travel ball team “Asian Breeze.”
He signed with the DeNA Baystars last year on March 14. Unknown if he is considering a return to NPB this year.pic.twitter.com/1bVZtB49iN
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) March 11, 2024
Bauer was suspended for 324 games by Major League Baseball for violating the leagues’ domestic violence and sexual assault policy after he was accused of sexual assault by a woman in Ohio, who said that Bauer beat her during their sexual encounter in 2017 when he was with the Cleveland Guardians. Additionally, two other women stated in 2021 they experienced similar dangerous behaviors from Bauer during sex.
The suspension was later reduced to 194 games by an arbitrator. Bauer had already sat out for that amount time and was reinstated to Major League Baseball.
Bauer had signed a three-year deal worth $102 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers in February of 2021, and was prepared to start pitching again with his team following his reinstatement. He was subsequently designated for assignment by Los Angeles, and released six days later.
He signed a one-year deal worth $4 million with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan two months later, and went 10-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 19 games with Yokohama, striking out 130 in 130.2 innings of work with a 1.148 WHIP.
Bauer is an MLB free agent and is free to sign with any team, though no team has shown interest.