Jun 18, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer reacts against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks
(New York, NY) – Trevor Bauer is leaving Los Angeles and headed to Japan.
According to Yuki Yamada of Sankei Sports, Bauer has agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. This means the 32-year-old right hander will be joining the NPB after posting a 83 win and 69 loss record over 10 seasons in Major League Baseball. Bauer won the NL Cy Young Award during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Of course, players have left the major leagues to play in Japan and then returned to the US previously. It figures Bauer is hoping to join those ranks. He signed a three-year, $102 million with his hometown LA Dodgers prior to the 2021 season. In July of that year he was placed on administrative leave while allegations of sexual misconduct were investigated.
Bauer allegedly assaulted a woman during rough sex, but he claimed it was consensual. He eventually served the longest-ever suspension in the history of MLB and the players union’s joint policy concerning domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. He missed 194 games before the Dodgers ultimately released him.
