A 2.59 ERA in a Dodgers uniform should have been enough to keep Trevor Bauer’s phone ringing ahead of this offseason. Yet, five years after his last MLB appearance in 2021, the former Cy Young winner remains on the outside looking in, forced to take his talents to independent leagues while keeping his big-league dream alive. But he isn’t holding back anymore.

Bauer believes his repeated attempts to return have hit the same roadblock. He claimed he has nearly finalized contracts on five occasions before things fell apart. After pointing fingers at MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Bauer is now turning up the heat on another powerful group standing between him and his MLB comeback: the team owners.

“I talked with the front offices, directors general, coaches and players of every team. Even if the general manager and the president agreed to sign me, the owner said no… We had people on playoff teams this past year that were like, ‘We need Trevor. Bring him in.’ And they’re like, ‘If you bring his name up again, we will fire you on the spot. Do not bring it up again.’ I mean, we’re talking playoff teams, really good people.’ I heard stories like this from eight to 10 teams,” SleeperAstros quoted Bauer.

Bauer has not pitched in the major leagues since 2021, when he was placed on administrative leave following a few serious allegations. While the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office ultimately declined to file criminal charges due to insufficient evidence, MLB issued him an unprecedented 324-game suspension. That penalty was later reduced by an independent arbitrator to 194 games, making him eligible to return in 2023.

It was hoped that the 35-year-old would be back in action once his ban ended. The Dodgers subsequently released him while eating the remaining $22.5 million on his contract. Since then, Bauer has pitched internationally and independently, including stints in Japan, Mexico, the U.S. independent Atlantic League, and the Dominican Winter League.

Bauer is currently an unrestricted free agent who is legally eligible to sign with any team. Surprisingly, no teams have tried to sign him yet despite a need for a reliable pitcher. “What’s happening is pretty clear. Ask Commissioner Manfred why they won’t let me play. I don’t know either,” Bauer blamed MLB commissioner a few days back.

Signing Trevor Bauer carries a massive public relations risk that most ownership groups are unwilling to take. Even though criminal charges were never filed and Bauer settled his primary civil case, an independent arbitrator still concluded that he violated the league’s Joint Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Policy. Teams fear intense backlash from fans, sponsors, and local media if they bring him into their clubhouse.

Trevor Bauer has a long history of publicly criticizing MLB’s executive leadership. He frequently targeted Manfred, once stating that Manfred “doesn’t know baseball at all.” Franchise owners, whose primary goal is to protect and grow the value of their multi-billion-dollar teams, are generally unwilling to defy the commissioner or league office to sign a single player.

Even before his 2021 suspension, Bauer was widely regarded as a polarizing figure within baseball. He has frequently engaged in heated online arguments with fans. He clashed with former managers (like Terry Francona) and had public spats with Hall of Fame players. Front offices often place a premium on clubhouse chemistry. So, many view Bauer’s online brand and self-aggrandizing behavior as an unnecessary distraction.

Lastly, Bauer is 35 years old and has not pitched against Major League hitters since June 2021. While he has performed well internationally and in independent leagues, such as winning the Pitcher of the Year award in the Mexican Baseball League, MLB front offices generally view independent league statistics as poor indicators of how a pitcher will fare against elite big-league hitters.

As a pitcher in his mid-30s whose peak velocity and spin rates may no longer be elite, teams decide the minor on-field upgrade isn’t worth the major off-field headache.

2027 offseason is just warming up. Hopefully Bauer will be signed this time, as he surely deserves one last run in MLB.