Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer threw a no-hitter in an independent league in the United States.
Japanese sports outlet "Sports Hochi" reported on the 27th that Bauer, who plays for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League in the U.S. independent leagues, started the first game of a doubleheader (seven-inning game) against the Lancaster Barnstormers and threw a no-hitter, allowing one walk, striking out seven and giving up no runs in seven innings.
Meanwhile, Bauer has a major league career record of 222 games (1,297 2/3 innings), 83 wins, 69 losses and a 3.79 earned run average. In the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, he played for the Cincinnati Reds and went 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA in 11 starts (73 innings), winning the National League Cy Young Award.
After the 2020 season, Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and went 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts (107 2/3 innings) for the Dodgers. However, in June 2021 he was embroiled in a sexual assault controversy and was placed on administrative leave. He was initially suspended for 324 games by Major League Baseball, later reduced to 194 games, but the Dodgers decided to release him.
After being released by the Dodgers and unable to find a team, Bauer did not pitch competitively through 2022 and eventually signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2023 for $3 million (about 4.5 billion won), joining Nippon Professional Baseball. In Japan he posted a solid performance in 19 starts (130 2/3 innings), going 10-4 with a 2.76 ERA.
Having rebuilt his career in Japan, Bauer sought a major league return, but no MLB teams wanted him, so he looked for opportunities in the Mexican League. In 2024 he played for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League, appearing in 14 starts (83 1/3 innings) with 10 wins and a 2.48 ERA.
Last year he returned to Yokohama but struggled, going 4-10 with a 4.41 ERA in 21 starts (133 2/3 innings). He also received poor evaluations in his work ethic and ultimately left the team.
U.S. sports outlet Yahoo Sports, regarding Bauer's move to the U.S. independent league, wrote that Bauer was disciplined for violations of Major League Baseball's policies on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse but is still aiming to return to the big leagues. It noted he was never criminally charged in the matter and that civil lawsuits were resolved by settlement, explaining that Bauer has no ongoing legal issues. Nevertheless, major league teams still hold negative views of Bauer.
Bauer reportedly received a love call from a KBO League team but declined because he wanted to play in the United States.
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