Trevor Bauer is heading to Japan for the 2023 season after signing a contract with the Yokohama BayStars. Bauer, who last pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers in MLB, posted a YouTube video on Friday detailing his decision to sign in Japan.
Trevor Bauer made it clear that he chose to sign in Japan. He said it's been a dream of his for years and he's excited to finally receive the opportunity.
“I got my first taste of it back in 2009 playing for Team USA in the collegiate All-Star series,” Bauer said in the video. “Representing my country was one of the proudest moments of my life. And playing in a sold out Tokyo Dome, in front of 55,000 fans, blew my mind. That's double the average attendance of an MLB game last year.”
He then said “that was the moment I added ‘play professional baseball in Japan' to my bucket list.”
Trevor Bauer said he later visited with the BayStars in 2019. He was impressed with the organization, but was still pitching at a high level in MLB at the time.
He also revealed one of his primary goals he hopes to accomplish while pitching for the BayStars during the 2023 campaign.
“I want to help people fall in love with baseball the way I have,” Bauer said. “And not just in the United States. But all across the world. Like they have in Japan, where the passion for the game of baseball exceeds anything I've ever experienced.”
Bauer, who was suspended from MLB in 2022, acknowledged he's made mistakes and is looking to “grow as a person.”
“But to be the best role model I can be, I need to grow as a person. Look, I recognize that I've made mistakes and I have to live with those. I've made plenty of errors in judgment and stupid choices that someone in my position never should have made.”
Trevor Bauer hinted in the video that he spoke with MLB organizations, but opted to sign with the BayStars. He closed out the video by stating he wants his actions to speak louder than his words moving forward.
“So instead of telling you about the changes I've made, or how the future will be different, I'd rather let my actions speak louder than my words. So just watch.”
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