Can Trevor Bauer play in MLB again & other important questions answered after ex-Dodgers star's $300,000 court settlement: All you need to know

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer had a major victory off the field on Monday. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered Bauer's accuser Lindsey Hill to pay him a little over $300,000 for breaches of their settlement agreement.

Trevor Bauer has not played in the MLB since Hill levied sexual assault allegations against the pitcher in 2021. Bauer was suspended as MLB launched an investigation, but the two parties reached a settlement in 2023.

What is the reason for the settlement?

Bauer claimed that Hill breached the terms of their agreement from 2023 by making false claims of money involvement in the settlement on social media and podcasts.

The former Dodgers pitcher filed a lawsuit in October and won the case this week. Bauer will reportedly receive $220,000 for 22 violations from Hill, and the rest of the sum covers attorney fees.

Where is Trevor Bauer playing?

Following his suspension, the Dodgers released Trevor Bauer in January 2023. The former Cy Young winner signed for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan on a one-year, $4 million deal in March 2023.

After his stint with the NPB team, Bauer played for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League in 2024. He was named the 2024 Mexican League Pitcher of the Year after helping the team to postseason success.

He returned to Japan in January after signing a contract with Yokohama DeNA BayStars for a second stint in the NPB.

Can Trevor Bauer play in the MLB again?

Although he was suspended by the MLB after Lindsey Hill's allegations in 2021, Trevor Bauer has been cleared of any wrongdoing, making him eligible to sign for an MLB team.

However, teams have not shown any interest in the former All-Star ace despite his strong performances outside the MLB over the last three seasons.

Is Trevor Bauer's age blocking his potential MLB return?

Trevor Bauer was at the peak of his powers, coming off a Cy Young-winning season, when he joined the Dodgers in 2021. Although he has been posting solid numbers around the world since then, Bauer's age is a potential concern for MLB teams.

Bauer turned 34 in January, and while there is no shortage of pitchers in their late 30s in the major league, the former Dodgers pitcher has not thrown in MLB in over four years. He would need time to recalibrate his pitching against MLB hitters, especially with the introduction of the pitch clock in 2023.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash