Trevor Bauer Makes Second Minor League Start In Japan, Nearing Debut

PublishedApril 23, 2023 5:26 AM EDT|UpdatedApril 23, 2023 5:26 AM EDT

Former MLB pitcher Trevor Bauer recently completed his second start in the minor leagues system of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Bauer made his debut last week, with his start creating a substantial increase in attention for his minor league team.

READ: TREVOR BAUER MAKES DEBUT IN JAPANESE BASEBALL LEAGUE, DRAWS LARGE CROWD

According to the Associated Press, Bauer is working on his pitch count before a debut in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

“It’s just about building pitch count right now, making sure that I can pitch a whole game if need be,” Bauer said.

He threw 77 pitches in the start, giving up one run on two hits with two strikeouts.

Bauer described his performance as “good, not great,” despite being disappointed in his fastball.

While neither he nor the Baystars have a timetable on his debut for the big club, the increased workload implies it could be approaching quickly.

Yokohama DeNA BayStars pitcher Trevor Bauer poses in his new uniform during a news conference in Yokohama. (Photo credit: KYODO NEWS)

Bauer’s Future In NPB

Whenever Bauer does make his debut for Yokohama, it’ll be one of the major stories of the baseball season.

Despite the surrounding controversy, he’s already drawn increased fan interest around the team.

The former Dodgers, Reds and Guardians starter signed just a one-year deal to play in Japan. It’s unclear if the short term was a Bauer decision, or if potential teams wanted to avoid longer term risk.

Despite serving his suspension and not facing criminal charges, Bauer didn’t receive any MLB offers.

A strong season for Yokohama with no off-field incidents could potentially change that.

Bauer’s lengthy suspension was cited as a major contributing factor to his Dodgers release. But displaying his ability to perform at a high level and avoid further scandal may change opinions around MLB front offices.

After reaching 77 pitches, it won’t be too long until Bauer’s back on a top level mound for the first time since 2021.