Max Scherzer is taking the mound at 41, Justin Verlander is doing the same at 43, but then there’s one 35-year-old former Cy Young winner who is still throwing a seven-inning no-hitter, but fails to get an MLB team. That is the reality for Trevor Bauer.

However, as his MLB exile continues, there is one big name that seems to be in his corner. That one name is the future Hall of Famer and Dodgers veteran Albert Pujols. The former two-time World Series winner, who played alongside Bauer with the Los Angeles Dodgers, recently vouched for his former teammate. While backing him, he also gave him a reality check as to why Bauer can’t get an MLB contract.

“I think he needs to clear up the issues with MLB first before he gets to this level. One thing with Trevor Bauer was that he went against MLB, and you can’t go against the hands that really feed you,” Pujols said. “I had an opportunity to play with him with the Dodgers. Who doesn’t want to have Trevor Bauer on their team? Of course.”

As per Pujols, it’s still not too late for Bauer to make a return to MLB. He played with Bauer in the Dodgers in 2021, and so he knows Bauer’s worth. Stats back him up, too.

The 2020 NL Cy Young winner had a career 3.79 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 10 seasons in MLB. No wonder the Dodgers splashed $102 million to sign him. Even in the last 3 years across other national leagues, his ERA was around 3.20, and his WHIP was around 1.18. So, Bauer is still in shape. However, Pujols thinks he first needs to settle with MLB about his past issues.

Lately, Bauer has made some controversial statements against MLB. “I’ve known what this is the entire time. I’m blackballed. I’m not allowed to play Major League Baseball,” he said. Considering his tainted past with MLB, these statements might make it difficult for Bauer to return.

A series of grave allegations were charged against Bauer, followed by a 194-game suspension between 2021 and 2023. Afterwards, no MLB team showed interest in landing him. However, all allegations against him were now settled outside of court, and he is currently free of any charges.

So, Bauer could make his return to MLB, and he spent no time acknowledging Pujols. “Thanks, Albert!” Trevor Bauer shared via X.

Since last playing MLB in 2021, Bauer dominated Mexican and Japanese leagues. He recently went viral for taking a 100-mph line drive straight to his head and standing up again, as if nothing had happened. After years of staying away from the American shores, Bauer finally signed with the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball this year.

“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” Bauer said after landing with the Ducks. He already had 2 outings with the Ducks and dominated on the mound. He had recorded 8 SOs over 4 innings and tossed a seven-inning no-hitter. Pujols vouched for Bauer, and he himself put up some great numbers. Hopefully, that will be enough for his return to MLB.

Trevor Bauer’s $0 offer still isn’t enough

It seems like no matter what Bauer is willing to offer, teams are not ready to give him a contract.

Despite all the dominant shows in the last three years, and now with the Ducks, Bauer has yet to make a deal with any MLB team. “I still don’t have a team,” he said recently. However, to get a team, he is making some offers that could get irresistible for a few teams. He recently said that he even offered to play for the league minimum and was willing to donate his entire salary to the signing team’s foundation.

“I offered to play for no pay, I said I would start in the minor leagues. I even said I would donate the entire salary to the team foundation. In other words, I would play for $0,” Bauer said.

He even added that if the teams have any issues with his social media activities, he is ready to bid adieu to those as well. However, according to Bauer, he has been in touch with multiple teams, gotten positive feedback, but at the last moment, they seem to back out. This silence from teams comes as a surprise, given the current state of MLB rotation.

Several high-profile franchises are struggling with injuries and are in desperate need of starting pitchers. The Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation is badly hit with José Berríos, Bowden Francis, and Shane Bieber sidelined. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs lost their top young prospect, Cade Horton, for the season, erasing a critical layer of internal starting depth.

So, a name like Bauer could just be the perfect fit for both. Getting someone with an 83-69 record and more than 1400 SOs in MLB at a minimum price point would surely be a steal deal for any MLB team.

But the fact that they are willing to struggle through this phase rather than sign him is exactly what Pujols warned him about.

Right now, it seems like the only way for Bauer to secure an MLB contract is to make things right with the league office. Hopefully for him, it happens soon, and he can once again enter the league.