Bauer Signs with Atlantic League's Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball have signed Trevor Bauer, the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner, to pitch for the team this season. Bauer will start the Ducks' first game on April 21 and will be mic'd up for all games and practices to create content for social media and streaming outlets. The move returns Bauer to professional baseball in the United States after several years abroad.
"I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season," Bauer said. "The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition." Past Ducks players include Dontrelle Willis, Daniel Murphy, Rich Hill and Eric Gagne. New York Mets legends Gary Carter and Bud Harrelson managed the team, with Harrelson also serving as part-owner.
"We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island," Ducks President/CBO Michael Pfaff said. "His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball." Bauer's last MLB appearance came on June 28, 2021, when he pitched six innings of two-run ball with eight strikeouts for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sexual assault allegations two days later led to a 324-game suspension, reduced to 184 games, for violating MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Bauer pitched in Japan in 2023 and 2025, posting a 2.59 ERA and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023 before a 4.41 ERA and 8.2 strikeouts per nine in 2025. He recorded a 2.48 ERA and 13.0 strikeouts per nine innings in Mexico in 2024. Bauer has maintained his innocence, settling a case with accuser Lindsey Hill in late 2023; she was ordered last June to pay him more than $300,000 for violating settlement terms. Another accuser faces 16 years in prison on fraud charges. The signing comes after Bauer questioned MLB's handling of the Pete Rose reinstatement on X, asking if it applied to others previously blackballed.
