MLB's decision to reinstate Pete Rose sparks controversy as Trevor Bauer questions the league's fairness, still sidelined himself
Uncensored, Frank Analysis: Trevor Bauer Speaks Out, "Never Assaulted Anyone"
Controversial baseball star Trevor Bauer breaks his silence, joining 'America's Newsroom' to tell his story for the first time, following two years of being accused of sexual assault.
Trevor Bauer, the former Major League Baseball (MLB) powerhouse, couldn't help but weigh in on the reinstatement of infamous player Pete Rose.
Bauer took to social media, just one day after MLB announced Rose and other deceased ballplayers had been removed from the permanently ineligible list, to take another jab at the league as he remains on the sidelines.
"Since Pete is welcome back now, does that mean it's for everyone who has been blackballed?" he questioned aloud. "Or do you actually have to be guilty of something to qualify for that?"
*CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON our website*
Trevor Bauer with the Los Angeles Dodgers (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Currently, Bauer has temporarily switched sports, pitching in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League. The accuser-turned-suspended all-star has been kept away from MLB ballfields for the last four years due to the controversial allegations against him in 2021.
MLB initially placed Bauer on administrative leave and later suspended him for an excruciating 324 games. However, after an appeal, his suspension was reduced to a still lengthy 194 games.
To this day, no MLB team has taken a chance on Bauer, despite his strong talent. Unsurprisingly, his opulent vocabulary didn't desert him in this situation.
Bauer suggested back in August that the MLB, instead of teams, was the real hindrance to his career comeback, contending that teams didn't believe in his performance anymore.
*CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMS MLB OUTING TREVOR BAUER BECAUSE OF HIS SUPPORT FOR DONALD TRUMP, IN A LETTER TO ROB MANFRED*
"One team told us it's not their decision, it's an MLB decision," Bauer posted on X back then, exchanging with Cincinnati Reds fans on the platform.
"One team told me I was 'too expensive' even though I offered to play for minimum, another team told us they covered up stuff in the past that they don't want the media digging into to find out about..." Bauer added.
A spokesperson for MLB, speaking to Mail Sport, claimed that Bauer was free to sign with any of the 30 teams in the league.
"Trevor Bauer served the entirety of his discipline and is an unrestricted free agent available to sign a contract with any team," the statement read.
Bauer was never charged with a crime, and his accuser sought a restraining order against him, but it was denied. Los Angeles prosecutors stated in February 2022 that there was insufficient evidence to prove the woman's accusations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bauer sued his accuser in federal court in April 2022, less than three months after prosecutors chose not to file criminal charges against the pitcher.
Another woman from Columbus, Ohio, accused Bauer of repeatedly choking her without her consent and sexually assaulting her for years. However, his representatives announced Bauer's relationship with this woman was "casual and wholly consensual."
Bauer spent 2023 in NPB in Japan, while playing for Diablos Rojos del Mexico in March 2024.
our website' Chantz Martin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow our website Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to our Sports Huddle newsletter.
Scott Thompson is a sports writer for our website Digital.
In the middle of his temporary career shift to Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League, Trevor Bauer, despite his ongoing suspension from Major League Baseball (MLB), hasn't shied away from expressing his opinions. He posited a question about Pete Rose's reinstatement, raising doubts about the league's selective policies. Additionally, Bauer has been vocal about the supposed hindrances to his career return, accusing the MLB, rather than teams, of being the real barrier.
