Exiled MLB pitcher Trevor Bauer has finally secured a return to American baseball after his desperate pleas to be given a second chance.
Bauer, 35, was blackballed by MLB franchises after multiple allegations of sexual assault were made against him and he has not pitched in America since 2021.
In the years since, Bauer has continuously talked up a return to the big leagues while playing in both Japan and Mexico.
However, he’s now been given an opportunity back on American soil at last. It was reported on Thursday that Bauer has signed a contract with the Long Island Ducks.
The minor league team, which plays its home games in Central Islip, plays in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Bauer will be thrown into the deep end by his new team, too. He is scheduled to start their opening day game on Tuesday.
Exiled MLB pitcher Trevor Bauer finally secured a return to American baseball on Thursday
The Ducks also announced that, as part of the deal, Bauer will be ‘Mic’d Up’ for all games and practices ‘for the purposes of content creation to be featured on his and the team’s social media and streaming outlets.’
‘I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,’ said Bauer.
‘The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.’
Bauer, the 2020 Cy Young Award winner, claimed back in January 2025 he was still a ‘top 10 pitcher on the planet.’ In a bold tweet, he wrote: ‘I’m the second most popular player and the most knowledgeable pitcher on the planet.
‘I’m also a top 10 pitcher on the planet and willing to play for $0. That’s minimum $50m value per year that you’d get for $0,
‘But, someone very obviously lied about me one time, so I can’t go back to work. The absurdity of this situation is off the charts.’
Bauer has previously claimed that teams are colluding to keep him out of baseball since multiple allegations of sexual assault came to light – beginning in 2021. The pitcher has always denied the allegations.
In 2022, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office decided to not file criminal charges against Bauer over allegations made by his first accuser.
Bauer (right) was accused of sexual assault by Lindsey Hill (left) but was never charged
Bauer last pitched in America for the Dodgers in 2021 and had spells in Japan and Mexico
After that decision, Bauer and his accuser sued each other. In 2023, they settled both suits without admission of wrongdoing or exchanging money.
Three other women have accused Bauer of sexual assault. One of those women was later charged with defrauding the pitcher.
‘We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island,’ said Ducks president and chief business officer Michael Pfaff.
‘His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball.’
