Trevor Bauer’s path back to Major League Baseball has taken another sharp turn, and not in the direction he had hoped. The former Cy Young Award winner, now 35, says he remains shut out of the MLB despite repeated efforts to return, even going as far as offering to play without pay.
An MLB Career Stalled Since 2021
Bauer has not appeared in an MLB game since 2021, when allegations of sexual assault surfaced and led to his extended absence. While he has consistently denied those allegations, the fallout has lingered far beyond the legal outcomes. In 2022, the Los Angeles County District Attorney declined to file criminal charges in the first case brought against him. A year later, Bauer and his accuser settled their civil lawsuits without any admission of wrongdoing or financial exchange. Still, the broader situation has not fully cleared, with multiple accusations having surfaced over time, including one case in which an accuser was later charged with fraud.
Attempts at a Comeback Fall Short
In the years since his last MLB appearance, Bauer has remained active on the mound. He pitched overseas in Japan and Mexico, working to maintain both form and visibility. Earlier this month, he took another step toward a potential return by signing with the Long Island Ducks, an independent minor league team. The move was widely seen as a practical attempt to reestablish himself within American baseball circles.
His performance has done little to quiet the conversation. Bauer threw a seven-inning no-hitter for the Ducks, a result that would typically draw attention from MLB scouts and front offices. But according to Bauer, interest has repeatedly stalled behind closed doors.
“I Still Don’t Have a Job”
Speaking recently, he described a pattern of initial conversations with teams that appear promising before abruptly collapsing. He claims that verbal interest has been followed by silence, and then a final message indicating that a deal will not move forward. Bauer says he does not have direct insight into those decisions, but the outcome has been consistent.
He has framed the situation as one where performance no longer dictates opportunity. By his account, he has offered every possible concession, minor league deals, no salary, and even donating earnings without success. The result, as he puts it, is simple: he still does not have a job in MLB.
For now, Bauer continues pitching where he can, while the gap between his on-field output and his professional standing remains unresolved.
