Following a string of subpar outings and a blowup with his pitching coach, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars have sent right-hander Trevor Bauer down to their farm team. It is unclear when he might return to the team’s starting rotation, but he’ll have to remain in the minors for at least 10 days.
Bauer’s second season in Japan has not been going smoothly. The last four starts, in particular, he’s been hit hard, allowing 19 runs over 20.1 IP.
He allowed five runs on seven hits and six walks in his latest outing on Saturday against the Yomiuri Giants. When he was pulled from the game in the sixth inning, the television broadcast caught a brief but animated exchange between Bauer and BayStars pitching coach Shinji Ohara.
Bauer declined to comment on the exchange, speaking after the game with Jason Coskrey at The Japan Times, but did admit that he can’t explain his struggles on the mound:
“It’s a mixture of frustration and depression. Everything I’ve tried has been unsuccessful. So I don’t know. I have five elite pitches. When I throw them in the zone, they hit like .400 on balls in play. I lead the Central League in strikeouts, but I’ve given up the most hits and the most runs. I don’t know how to rationalize those two things.
“I just don’t know what else…I’m completely lost, to be honest.”
The 34-year-old made 15 starts and threw 100.1 IP this year for the BayStars. He’s 4-7 with a 4.13 ERA and 1.326 WHIP. While a 4.13 ERA might not look terrible at first glance, it’s the highest mark among 42 qualified pitchers in the NPB. He’s also leading the league in walks and second in home runs allowed.
It’s worth noting that the NPB is currently in a “deadball era” of offensive production. Offense across the league has been down all season, with most teams averaging 3.2-3.3 runs per game. The average OPS across the league stands at .625. Both marks are well below the MLB averages (MLB teams are averaging almost a full run more per game.)
Multiple allegations of sexual abuse surfaced in July 2021. Despite no arrest or charges being filed, the league issued Bauer with a record-long suspension (324 games; an arbitrator would later reduce it to 194). He was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers as soon as the league reinstated him.
No MLB team has shown any interest in bringing Bauer aboard since.
He was left to pursue opportunities pitching overseas, joining Yokohama for the 2023 season and posting a 10-4 record and 2.76 ERA over 130.2 IP. He’d land in the Mexican League last season, pitching for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico. He went 10-0 with a 2.48 ERA and a league-leading 120 strikeouts over 83.1 IP, helping the Diablos win the LMB Championship and being named the Mexican League Pitcher of the Year.
Bauer will likely get another chance with the BayStars before the season concludes, but his performance on the mound — and in the clubhouse — may prove vital in determining whether another international opportunity will arise for him next season.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
