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. No wonder not many would have planned around him, but not the former Dodgers veteran, Albert Pujols.

A few teams, like the Cubs and Blue Jays, still need pitchers due to their battered rotation, and Pujols vouches for the return of the 35-year-old Trevor Bauer.

“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.

Of late, 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 could be the missing link for a few teams

There are few teams like the Blue Jays and Cubs, which are facing short of reliable arms due to injuries.

For the Blue Jays, starters José Berríos, Bowden Francis, and Shane Bieber are sidelined, drastically thinning their starting depth. Moreover, their 2025 star Trey Yesavage is also returning from the injury. Offseason free-agent signee Cody Ponce also suffered a significant right knee injury (ACL). So, name like Bauer could just be the perfect fit.

For the Cubs, top young starter Cade Horton is out for the season, erasing a critical layer of internal starting depth. While they have signed Hoby Milner and Phil Maton in the offseason, there are still major concerns about consistent high-leverage depth for the bullpen. Again, who could be better than Bauer here?

Now, Trevor Bauer’s recent claim about his no-pay return could just make his deal a lot more sweeter. “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 recently said. So, the teams could sign him for a minimum deal.

Getting someone with a 83-69 record and more than 1400 SOs in MLB in a minimum price point surely be a steal deal for any MLB team. Hopefully, Bauer would follow Pujols’s routemap to make his way to baseball’s biggest stage.