Former MLB slugger says teams should want Trevor Bauer, but pitcher must do something first

At this point, it appears to beryllium a agelong changeable that Trevor Bauer will get backmost into Major League Baseball.

But nan anticipation is surely live aft he precocious threw a no-hitter for nan Long Island Ducks of nan Independent League.

Bauer precocious unopen down claims that he is "washed" connected societal media, saying that some his velocity and induced vertical break ("ride") are higher now connected fastballs than they were successful 2020 erstwhile he won nan Cy Young Award.

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Trevor Bauer smiles aft pitching no-hitter for Long Island Ducks connected Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)

But what's go evident that's keeping him retired is anterior allegations of sexual assault, which initially sewage him suspended for 2 afloat seasons earlier it was reduced to 194 games.

Bauer has continued to support his innocence and said he has told teams he'd play "for free." On nan flip side, though, Bauer erstwhile said successful 2024 he "may person nary different choice" but to writer nan league. He besides astir precocious called retired MLB aft Pete Rose and different deceased erstwhile ballplayers were taken disconnected nan league’s permanently ineligible list.

"I deliberation he needs to clear up nan issues pinch MLB first earlier he gets to this level. I deliberation 1 point pinch Trevor Bauer was that he went against MLB, and you can't spell against nan hands that really feeds you," Pujols precocious told Fox News Digital.

If he could do that, though, teams should jump astatine nan opportunity, Pujols said.

"I had an opportunity to play pinch him pinch nan (Los Angeles) Dodgers. Who doesn't want to person Trevor Bauer connected their team? Of course," Pujols said.

"But I deliberation astatine nan extremity of nan day, you know, he's still trying, but he needs to clear retired what his rumor is pinch MLB."

Trevor Bauer pitches for Long Island Ducks during no-hitter connected Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)

This June will people 5 years since Bauer, arsenic nan reigning Cy Young Award winner, past appeared successful an MLB game. On June 28 of that year, he tossed six innings of two-run shot while striking retired 8 batters, signaling nan win. Two days later, he was deed pinch intersexual battle allegations, which yet led to nan suspension for violating nan league's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

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Bauer pitched in Japan in some 2023 and 2025, while a stint successful Mexico came successful 2024. He sounded to a 2.59 ERA and 9.2 K/9 successful Japan successful 2023, and successful Mexico, those numbers improved to 2.48 and 13.0. Last twelvemonth successful Japan, though, his ERA changeable up to 4.41, and he struck retired conscionable 8.2 batters per 9 innings.

"Anyone that’s consenting to beryllium down pinch maine and listen: I’d for illustration to play nan 2nd half of my profession successful a amended measurement than I played nan first half," Bauer told Fox News Digital in January 2024. "I’d for illustration to beryllium an illustration that you tin make mistakes, admit them, set and past beryllium amended successful nan future. I deliberation that’s thing america arsenic humans person to do and should beryllium doing constantly."

Bauer has maintained his innocence, settling pinch 1 accuser while different is facing 16 years successful situation aft being charged pinch fraud pursuing faking a gestation and asking Bauer for money for an abortion.

Bauer and Lindsey Hill, who accused nan pitcher of beating and sexually abusing her successful 2021, settled their lawsuit successful precocious 2023. Bauer revealed texts from Hill, who said that Bauer would beryllium her "next victim," among different damning messages. Hill has since said that MLB has much grounds of Bauer's alleged misconduct.

Trevor Bauer hasn't sounded successful nan awesome leagues since nan 2021 play pinch nan Los Angeles Dodgers. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)

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Last June, Hill was ordered to salary Bauer much than $300,000 for violating colony terms. Hill breached their colony statement pinch each different by discussing Bauer connected podcasts and successful nationalist appearances, the Los Angeles Times reported.

At nan clip of nan allegations, Bauer was pitching to a 2.59 ERA with the Dodgers.

Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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