Hart alumnus and former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has agreed to terms with the Yokohama DeNA Baystars of the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization in Japan, the team confirmed on Monday.
The deal, first reported by Yuki Yamada, a reporter for Sankei Sports, is reportedly for one year and $4 million, plus incentives.
The Baystars finished second in the Japanese Central League last season. The NPB will begin the 2023 season at the end of the month.
Bauer became a free agent in January after the Dodgers chose to release him following an independent arbitrator’s ruling that he be immediately reinstated from his suspension under Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Bauer had been officially suspended since April 29 of last year and had served 194 games of what was supposed to be a 324-game suspension, the longest in the sport’s history under the current domestic violence policy.
“The Dodgers organization believes that allegations of sexual assault or domestic violence should be thoroughly investigated, with due process given to the accused,” the Dodgers’ statement from Jan. 6 reads. “From the beginning, we have fully cooperated with Major League Baseball’s investigation and strictly followed the process stipulated under MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Two extensive reviews of all the available evidence in this case — one by Commissioner (Rob) Manfred and another by a neutral arbitrator — concluded that Mr. Bauer’s actions warranted the longest-ever active player suspension in our sport for violations of this policy. Now that this process has been completed, and after careful consideration, we have decided that he will no longer be part of our organization.”
Bauer last pitched in an MLB game on June 28, 2021. A San Diego woman came out just days later accusing Bauer of sexually assaulting her on two separate occasions. Bauer was then placed on paid administrative leave by the Dodgers before he was officially suspended the following April.
Bauer, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2020 while with the Cincinnati Reds, was set to finish the final year of a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers in 2023. He was not claimed by a team following his release, keeping the Dodgers on the hook for his 2023 salary.
Bauer lost $37.5 million from that deal, including the 50 games that Bauer was set to not be paid for in 2023, according to the independent arbitrator. He pitched a total of 107.2 innings over 17 games for the Dodgers, amassing an 8-5 record with a 2.59 ERA.
