Trevor Bauer made a successful debut with the Yokohama DeNA Baystars in a game against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Pitching his first game in over 22 months, Bauer scattered seven hits in seven innings, allowed one run, struck out nine, and threw 98 pitches in a 4-1 victory before a record crowd of 33,202.
Bauer’s Batting and Pitching
Pitchers in Japan’s Central League still bat, and Bauer made the most of it with a perfect sacrifice bunt in the fifth, leading to Yokohama’s go-ahead run. Bauer also grounded out once and struck out. The only blemish in his pitching was a bases-empty home run to fellow American Matt Davidson in the second inning.
Bauer’s Arrival in Japan
Yokohama signed Bauer for a reported $4 million, and he is getting millions more in termination pay from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Billboards all over town announced his arrival, including a seven-story poster on a Yokohama department store. Bauer arrives with a baseball background as the 2020 Cy Young Award winner, while claims of sexual assault and domestic violence have kept him out of Major League Baseball for almost two years.
Bauer’s Experience in Japan
Bauer praised the atmosphere at Japanese stadiums, where there is a constant din of chants, songs, and drums beating with fans always participating. “The atmosphere in the U.S. doesn’t compare to here at all,” Bauer said. “The sustained energy here is just so much different.” Japanese fans have welcomed him, and he is being given the benefit of the doubt.
Bauer’s Future in Japan
Bauer is expected to deliver with the team now leading the Central League, and he wants to contribute to that by pitching well and entertaining the fans. Yokohama fan Shohei Horikawa summed up what many in Japan apparently feel, stating, “I want him to reset himself in Japan without any prejudice and to do his best.”
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