Trevor Bauer’s long and unsuccessful push to return to Major League Baseball has taken another turn, with the former Cy Young Award winner signing a new contract in Mexico after MLB clubs showed no interest in bringing him back.
Bauer has re-signed with the Diablos Rojos del México, the same club he pitched for during a highly successful stint in 2024. The move comes after months of public efforts to secure another opportunity in the majors, including an unusual offer to play for any MLB team at no salary.
The 35-year-old pitcher has been searching for a path back to Major League Baseball since completing a suspension that originally totaled 324 games before being reduced to 194 games through arbitration. Bauer was suspended under MLB’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy following allegations made by a San Diego woman in 2021.
Bauer was never criminally charged, and he has consistently denied wrongdoing. Despite that, no major league organization has signed him since his release from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MLB Door Remains Closed
In recent months, Bauer attempted to strengthen his case for a comeback by pitching for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. He delivered a series of strong performances, but they did not generate a contract offer from an MLB franchise.
Speaking on a podcast last month, Bauer acknowledged his frustration over the continued lack of interest. “I don’t know exactly what goes on behind the scenes. I have my suspicions, of course,” Bauer said. “All I know is what the pattern is that we see. I can’t tell you how many different teams we’ve talked to.”
The comments came after Bauer publicly revealed that he had offered to play for a major league team for free, hoping to remove any financial risk from signing him. Even that proposal failed to attract interest.
Return to a Familiar Team
His return to the Diablos Rojos brings him back to a team where he enjoyed considerable success. During his previous stint with the club, Bauer posted a perfect 10-0 record and established himself as one of the league’s most effective pitchers.
The Mexican League club now becomes the latest chapter in a baseball career that has taken him from Cy Young Award winner to international journeyman. While MLB organizations continue to keep their distance, Bauer has found another opportunity to continue pitching professionally.
For the Diablos Rojos, the move reunites them with a pitcher who previously delivered results every time he took the mound.
Recent Crash Draws Attention
The signing comes only weeks after Bauer was involved in a dramatic car accident in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to reports, another driver struck Bauer’s $600,000 McLaren sports car, sending it spinning before it came to rest against a street pole.
Video from the scene showed Bauer climbing out of the damaged vehicle through the passenger side after the collision. A witness was heard warning him not to move too quickly before Bauer responded in apparent disbelief at what had happened.
Authorities later confirmed that no one involved in the crash suffered injuries serious enough to require hospitalization.
Sources cited by TMZ said Bauer was driving within the posted speed limit and was in the correct lane when the other vehicle collided with him. Photos from the aftermath showed him speaking with police officers at the scene.
Bauer was reportedly in Arizona receiving treatment for a back injury that had recently placed him on the Long Island Ducks’ injured list.
For now, his baseball future remains outside Major League Baseball. While Bauer continues to pursue a return to the majors, his next opportunity will come in Mexico, where he previously enjoyed some of the most successful performances of his post-MLB career.
