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 wear a microphone 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 stints 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 include pitchers Dontrelle Willis, Rich Hill and Eric Gagne, along with infielder Daniel Murphy. New York Mets figures Gary Carter and Bud Harrelson managed the team, with Harrelson also serving as part-owner.
Ducks President and Chief Business Officer Michael Pfaff said, "We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island. 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 major league appearance came on June 28, 2021, when he pitched six innings of two-run ball with eight strikeouts for a win with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He received a 324-game suspension, later reduced to 184 games, for violating MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Since then, 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 in related legal cases, settling with one accuser and noting another faces 16 years in prison on fraud charges. He has expressed interest in returning to MLB.
