Trevor Bauer says he will pitch for Mexican team Diablos Rojos in their Sunday exhibition game with the New York Yankees.
The 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner is attempting to return to Major League Baseball for the first time in three years following his lengthy suspension by MLB and release from the Los Angeles Dodgers after a women accused him of sexual assault.
Bauer, 33, said Monday in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he has also agreed to pitch five games for Diablos Rojos from April 11 to 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 stay in game shape and I’ll be able to join a rotation immediately if or when an MLB offer comes,” Bauer said. “Hope to see you on Sunday and can’t wait to show y’all what Mexican baseball is all about!”
The Yankees are playing a pair of split-squad exhibition games with Diablos Rojos on Saturday and Sunday at Mexico City’s Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium.
Bauer hasn’t pitched in the majors since being placed on administrative leave by MLB in July 2021 after a woman alleged that he assaulted her on two occasions at his home in Pasadena, California, during what she said began as consensual sexual encounters between them.
Bauer denied the allegations and said the encounters were consensual. Prosecutors decided in February 2022 not to file charges. The woman sued him, and Bauer countersued, although the two parties settled their legal dispute last fall.
Bauer was suspended an unprecedented 324 games by Major League Baseball, although an independent arbitrator reduced it to 194 games in December 2022. After Bauer’s suspension ended, the Dodgers cut him, and no team picked him up.
Bauer pitched in Japan last season and made at least one appearance for a barnstorming independent team this spring against a team of Dodgers minor leaguers.
Bauer owns an 83-69 record and 3.79 ERA in 222 career appearances with Arizona (2012), Cleveland (2013-19), Cincinnati (2019-20) and the Dodgers (2021). The right-hander joined the Dodgers after winning the Cy Young Award with the Reds with a 5-4 record and 1.73 ERA in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.