Trevor Bauer Signs With Long Island Ducks Amid MLB Comeback Bid

Trevor Bauer is back on a U.S. mound … just not the one he used to dominate.

The former Cy Young winner has signed a deal with the Long Island Ducks -- an independent league club -- in what looks like his latest bid to claw his way back to Major League Baseball after years of controversy kept him sidelined.

Bauer, now 35, is expected to take the ball as the Ducks’ Opening Day starter on April 21 … but here’s the twist: he’ll be mic’d up the entire time -- turning every pitch and dugout convo into content for social media.

This isn’t your typical comeback tour -- it’s baseball meets reality TV.

“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” Bauer said in a statement. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”

The Ducks are clearly leaning into it … calling Bauer both a talent boost and a chance to give fans “unprecedented access” to the team.

If you forgot, Bauer hasn’t pitched in MLB since 2021 … when sexual assault allegations derailed his career. He was never charged with a crime, but MLB still handed down a massive suspension … initially 324 games -- the equivalent of two seasons -- but it was later reduced to 194.

The Los Angeles Dodgers cut him loose in 2023, eating tens of millions to do it after signing him for $120M in 2021.

Since then, the left-hander has been rebuilding his career in Japan and Mexico while MLB teams have kept their distance.

Now, he’s betting this Long Island stint -- plus a camera in his face at all times for content that will be featured on both his and the team’s socials -- can change the narrative.

Bauer, the No. 3 pick in 2011, debuted in 2012 and spent 10 seasons in MLB with the Diamondbacks, Indians, Reds and Dodgers, going 83-69 in 212 starts. He won the 2020 Cy Young in Cincinnati.

He says he’s pumped to pitch in front of American fans again … and the Ducks are giving him a stage.