Jul
Trevor Bauer, once a celebrated MLB pitcher whose reputation has taken a hit, is just a short way into his journey in Nippon Professional Baseball, but it appears that his patience has already run razor-thin.
Bauer, who was crowned with the prestigious 2020 AL Cy Young Award, lost his cool during a game on July 1st, playing for Yokohama DeNA BayStars, following a chaotic and unsuccessful run-down play.
The scene unfolded during the sixth inning as the Chunichi Dragons had two runners on base with two outs. A Chunichi batter hit the ball to the second baseman, and what followed could only be described as a comedy of errors. Without delving into a play-by-play narration, suffice to say that Bauer’s teammates managed to engage two separate Dragons in rundowns but astonishingly couldn’t secure an out.
Bauer was visibly seething with frustration.
Deciding to be the catalyst for change, Bauer’s prowess was on display when the subsequent batter hit a ground ball up the middle. Bauer, with a glint in his eye, snatched it with an athletic maneuver. Rather than going for the conventional throw to first base, Bauer thundered towards the bag with lightning speed to personally ensure the out.
As he departed the field, a fiery Bauer was heard exclaiming, “Wake up!” His stride only broke momentarily as he belted out another expletive that transcended language barriers and was unmistakably offensive to many, including Japanese spectators.
It’s important to note that Bauer’s path in MLB was derailed in June 2021, when he was enveloped in a maelstrom of legal troubles including assault allegations and a restraining order for domestic violence. Though the district attorney refrained from filing criminal charges, the MLB did not turn a blind eye and suspended him for contravening the league’s policies on domestic violence and sexual assault. The Los Angeles Dodgers ultimately severed ties with Bauer on January 6th.
An arbitrator later lessened Bauer’s suspension from 324 to 194 games, making him eligible for an MLB comeback. However, the spring season dawned with no teams willing to gamble on him, leading Bauer to chart a course across the Pacific to Japan.
A frustrated Trevor Bauer tells his teammates to wake up pic.twitter.com/gxHUF1A8Af
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2023
This is why Trevor Bauer was heated 👀 pic.twitter.com/H2s5ajDtN3
— Prospect Dugout (@prospectdugout) July 2, 2023
