Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer poses for photographers in his new DeNA BayStars uniform. Kyodo News

Could Trevor Bauer's dominant effort in NPB debut tempt MLB teams?

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 5/3/23

Trevor Bauer pitched in his first official game in over 22 months on Wednesday, helping lead the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the Nippon Professional Baseball league to a 4-1 win over the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

The 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year deal with Yokohama in March and made his debut with one of the organization's minor league team in April.

Bauer finished Wednesday's game with only one run allowed on seven hits and one walk, while striking out nine in his seven innings. The lone run for Hiroshima came off of a solo home run in the second inning by fellow American Matt Davidson, who played with Bauer with the Cincinnati Reds in 2020.

Trevor Bauer picked up a win in his NPB debut today for the DeNA Baystars. He was outstanding through seven innings. The former Cy Young Award winner's fastball maxed out at 97mph and his offspeed pitches were filthy. He's still got it.

7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (98 pitches) pic.twitter.com/1NrJS3RhnH
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) May 3, 2023

According to an Associated Press and ESPN report, "cheerleaders welcomed him" and the 32-year-old got "the largest ovation of any Yokohama player at the start of the game." The report added that Bauer's start drew a record crowd of 33,202.

While the former one-time All-Star had scores of fans in Japan on Wednesday, he's still viewed as one of the more controversial figures in recent MLB memory stateside.

Bauer hasn't pitched since in an MLB game since June 2021, when he first faced sexual assault allegations. In April 2022, the league handed down an unprecedented 324-game suspension for violation of the league's domestic violence policy.

Per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, Bauer appealed the decision, and what followed was a "seven-month grievance process that ended with an independent arbitrator ruling Dec. 22 that Bauer's suspension would be trimmed to 194 games and he would be reinstated immediately."

The Los Angeles Dodgers were unable to find a trade partner for Bauer over the winter, which led to his January release. Los Angeles owes the 2011 No. 3 overall pick his remaining salary of $22.5M in 2023 but would've saved the major league minimum of $720K if another team had signed him.

According to the Associated Press and ESPN report, Bauer was asked by Japanese reporters what he was thinking ahead of his debut and his answer "suggested he was feeling some pressure."

"My nose started bleeding," he said. "That's what was on my mind coming to the field."

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