Trevor Bauer pitched three scoreless innings during his MLB audition against the Yankees on Sunday, as he helped Mexican team the Diablos Rojos beat New York 4-3 in the first of two exhibition games.
The 2020 NL Cy Young winner is eyeing a return to the major leagues for the first time in three years following allegations of sexual assault.
In his first start for Diablos Rojos on Sunday, Bauer allowed four hits, struck out three and walked two. The Mexican team recently signed him for five games.
‘My command was a little bit off. I would have liked not to walk two people,’ Bauer said. ‘It was my first time pitching at this altitude, so the ball is moving a little bit differently. But it was a good day. The fans were incredible.’
The 33-year-old right-hander is hoping to return to MLB after serving a suspension for violating the league´s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. That came after a San Diego woman said he beat and sexually abused her, an accusation the pitcher denied.
‘I thought his stuff looked good to me. Obviously, he´s got great stuff. I thought we were putting up pretty good at-bats against him, we couldn´t break through against him,’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Bauer arrived in Mexico City on Thursday. He said he wanted to face the Yankees in his first outing for the Diablos Rojos.
‘It was definitively part of the decision (to come to Mexico). I thought it´d be fun to pitch against the Yankees and make some content to entertain the fans,’ Bauer said.
‘I want to play baseball. I have fun doing it and there’s a lot of things about this organization that are very good.’
The former Dodgers star has not pitched in an MLB game since being placed on administrative leave in 2021.
Though both Bauer and his accuser, Lindsey Hill, admitted to having consensual sex in 2021, Hill claims that the pitcher went overboard by punching her, choking her unconscious, and sodomizing her without her consent.
Bauer was never charged in the case, and in October, the pair settled their respective defamation counter lawsuits against each other.
Prosecutors chose not to file charges in February 2022 but he was given a 324-game suspension by MLB, which was later shortened to 194.
He was cut by the Dodgers following the end of his suspension and outside of Japan, the pitcher has not been picked up by any club since.
