Former MLB hotshot Trevor Bauer’s latest attempt to rebuild his career took another unexpected turn this week after the former Cy Young winner walked away from a frightening crash involving his McLaren sports car in Arizona.
Photos and video published by TMZ showed the aftermath of the wreck on Wednesday, with debris scattered across the roadway and Bauer speaking with police officers near the damaged vehicle. Despite the violent scene, Bauer reportedly escaped without injuries and did not require hospital treatment.
According to TMZ, sources close to Bauer said he was driving within a 45 mph zone when another driver slammed into his McLaren, causing the car to spin out of control. Authorities reportedly determined Bauer was not at fault.
Another McLaren Disaster
The incident adds another bizarre chapter to a turbulent stretch of years for the 35-year-old pitcher, whose baseball career has remained stalled since allegations of sexual assault surfaced in 2021. Bauer has not appeared in Major League Baseball since then, despite continuing to pitch professionally overseas and in independent baseball.
Bauer was reportedly in Arizona receiving treatment for a back injury that recently landed him on the injured list with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League. He has dealt with recurring back spasms while trying to keep alive hopes of returning to MLB.
The crash also revived memories of another strange McLaren incident Bauer experienced in 2019. At the time, a tire detached from a semi-truck and crashed through the window of a dealership before landing directly on top of his parked McLaren 650S.
“Yesterday, if you told me a semi truck would total my McLaren, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Bauer wrote at the time. “If you told me it would happen like THIS? I would’ve said you’re out of your mind.”
TMZ later reported the car had been parked at a local dealership when the runaway tire smashed into it.
MLB Return Still Out of Reach
While Bauer escaped this latest accident unharmed, his professional future remains far less certain.
Now pitching for the Long Island Ducks after stints in both Japan and Mexico, Bauer recently admitted that Major League teams still refuse to give him another opportunity, even after he offered to play for free.
Speaking last week on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” Bauer said multiple MLB organizations have shown initial interest before suddenly backing away from negotiations.
“I can’t tell you how many different teams we’ve talked to,” Bauer said. “Nothing happens for two or three days and we get a call back saying, ‘Hey, we can’t really talk about this, but sorry, it’s not going to work out.’”
The former Cy Young Award winner said he has offered to sign minor league deals and even donate his salary back to team charities if given another shot.
“I’ve offered to literally donate my entire salary back to the team’s foundations and to play literally for zero dollars,” Bauer explained.
Controversy Still Follows Bauer
Bauer continues to insist he is being blackballed from Major League Baseball following the allegations made against him beginning in 2021.
In 2022, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Bauer in connection with allegations made by a San Diego woman. Bauer and the woman later settled lawsuits against each other in 2023 without either side admitting wrongdoing or exchanging money.
Additional accusations from other women later surfaced, though Bauer has consistently denied wrongdoing. One woman who accused him was later charged with defrauding him.
Despite the controversy, Bauer has continued pitching and recently threw a seven-inning no-hitter for the Ducks. Still, he admitted frustration is mounting as MLB doors remain closed.
“It just doesn’t feel like anything that I do is going to be sufficient,” Bauer said. “No matter how well I pitch or what I say or don’t say or whatever.”
