One former MLB player who is quite vocal on social media and other platforms is Trevor Bauer. He is most remembered for his time with the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds, where he was among the top pitchers in the league. He won a Cy Young Award in Cincinnati during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, but what happened after that season ruined his reputation.

In 2021, MLB suspended Bauer for approximately two seasons due to sexual assault allegations, and he has not pitched in the league since. Bauer has been vocal about trying to return to MLB, but no teams seem interested in signing him. He is spending the 2025 season pitching for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the Japanese League.

Trevor Bauer Struggles in Recent NPB Start

However, Bauer got roughed up in his last start on April 16. He threw 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts. It was a poor start for Bauer, who hopes to return to MLB.

The Yomiuri Giants stopped Trevor Bauer dead in his tracks. His ERA climbs to 5.40.

メキシコじゃない pic.twitter.com/DIpY0fbhoo

— Gaijin Baseball/外国人野球 (@GaijinBaseball)

If Bauer wants a shot at a return, dominating overseas would help his chances. But outings like this one make it harder. He’s been firm in saying he never committed any crime or wrongdoing, but the odds of an MLB comeback continue to shrink.

This all came recently after Bauer made comments about MLB pitchers and a possible return, saying that “it’ll be two days of 50/50 mix [in media coverage] and then everyone will forget about it and 8 months or so later the team will be in the playoffs contending for a World Series.”

Bauer has played for several international teams in recent seasons, including the BayStars and the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican Baseball League (LMB). However, he had a limited stint in the LMB after dealing with multiple medical issues, including ulcerative colitis and later a Guillain–Barré syndrome diagnosis.

Bauer Could Sue MLB

Over the past year, reports have surfaced that Bauer will consider suing MLB if he is not allowed to return to the league. Bauer is convinced the league is plotting against him and hopes to keep him out for good.

“I’d really prefer not to go this route, but if I continue being kept out of baseball as I currently am, I may have no other choice,” Bauer said, as reported by Fox News

It won’t be easy to prove that the MLB teams intentionally keep Bauer out of the league. But if he feels strongly enough about it, the result will be interesting. Even if Bauer never pitches again in MLB, he has a large following on social media via his YouTube channel. Bauer seems to be the next player on the “what-ifs” list because he had some great seasons before his career came to a screeching halt.