Trevor Bauer Signs with Long Island Ducks

Trevor Bauer, the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner, has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, marking his return to professional baseball in the United States after more than three years away. The independent team announced the deal on Thursday, with Bauer slated to start on opening night April 21 at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, New York, against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.

The 35-year-old right-hander, a first-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011, made his major league debut the following year. He pitched for four MLB teams over 10 seasons, including stints with the Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers. Bauer's standout year came in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with the Reds, where he posted a 1.73 ERA over 11 starts, leading the league and earning the Cy Young. He followed that with an All-Star selection in 2018 and a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers ahead of 2021, where he went 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts.

Bauer's MLB career ended abruptly that summer following allegations of sexual assault from multiple women. Major League Baseball placed him...