Trevor Bauer
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Trevor Andrew Bauer (born January 17, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher. He is currently a free agent. He has played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). These include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. Most recently, he played in the Mexican League (LMB) for the Diablos Rojos del México.

Trevor was a star pitcher at William S. Hart High School. He graduated early and went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There, he and fellow pitcher Gerrit Cole led the UCLA Bruins to a 22-game winning streak. They even reached the College World Series in 2010. The next year, Bauer won the Golden Spikes Award and the National Pitcher of the Year Award. The Diamondbacks picked him third overall in the 2011 MLB Draft. He was the first player from his draft class to reach the major leagues in June 2012.

Bauer was traded to the Cleveland Indians in December 2012. He worked on his pitching for two seasons. By 2016, he became a strong part of the Indians' starting rotation. He made his first MLB All-Star Game appearance in 2018. In 2020, he won the Cy Young Award with the Cincinnati Reds. He was the first Reds player to win this award.

After the 2020 season, Bauer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He led the league in strikeouts and innings pitched in early 2021. He later left the team. In 2023, Bauer signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan. He had a great season there. After that, he joined the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League. He helped them win the 2024 season and was named Pitcher of the Year.

Early Life and Baseball Start
College Baseball Career
Professional Baseball Journey
Pitching Style and Training
Beyond Baseball
- Business and Media
- Charity Work
See also

Early Life and Baseball Start

Trevor Bauer was born on January 17, 1991, in North Hollywood, California. From a young age, he loved baseball pitchers. He admired players like Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. His parents paid for private pitching lessons. In his free time, he practiced pitching against a local tennis court fence.

Trevor faced bullying at school because he was so focused on baseball. He kept practicing his skills at William S. Hart High School in Santa Clarita. During summers, he attended a baseball camp in Texas. In 2008, as a junior, Bauer had an amazing 12–0 win–loss record. His earned run average (ERA) was very low at 0.79. His fastball could reach speeds of 92 mph (148 km/h). He chose to graduate early after his junior year. This was partly because he did not get along well with some teammates.

College Baseball Career

After high school, Bauer went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He studied mechanical engineering there. He joined the UCLA Bruins baseball team with Gerrit Cole. They had a friendly rivalry. Bauer said Cole once told him he had "no future in baseball."

In 2009, his freshman year, Bauer led the team with nine wins. He had a 2.99 ERA. He was named the Pac-10 Conference Baseball Newcomer of the Year. That summer, he played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. He struck out 24 batters in just over 17 innings.

In 2010, Cole and Bauer helped the Bruins start with a 10–0 record. This was UCLA's best start since the 1950s. The Bruins had a 22-game winning streak. Bauer helped UCLA reach its first College World Series Championship Series. They lost to South Carolina in the finals.

Bauer set many UCLA records in 2011 as a junior. On March 26, he struck out his 329th college batter. This broke Alex Sanchez's record from 1987. On April 16, he got his 28th career win. This made him UCLA's all-time wins leader. By the end of the season, he led the school with 460 strikeouts. He also had 34 wins and over 373 innings pitched. Bauer received the National Pitcher of the Year Award. He was also the first UCLA player to win the Golden Spikes Award. This award goes to the best amateur baseball player in the U.S.

Professional Baseball Journey

Draft and Early Minor Leagues

Bauer pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks at spring training in 2012

Trevor Bauer's performance in 2011 made him a top pick for MLB teams. The Pittsburgh Pirates chose Gerrit Cole first overall. Bauer was picked third by the Arizona Diamondbacks. This was special because two college teammates were chosen so high in the same draft.

Bauer signed with the Diamondbacks on July 25. He first played for the Class A-Advanced Visalia Rawhide. He then moved up to the Double-A Mobile BayBears in August. He got his first professional win on August 20. In 2012, Bauer was the Diamondbacks' top young player. He was also the ninth best young player in all of MLB. He was invited to the Diamondbacks' spring training. He started the season back in Mobile. He had a great record of 7–1 with a 1.68 ERA. This earned him a promotion to Triple-A Reno Aces on May 17.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2012)

On June 27, 2012, the Diamondbacks called Bauer up to the major leagues. He was the first player from the 2011 draft class to make his MLB debut. He pitched four innings in his first game. He got his first major league win on July 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched six scoreless innings in that game. After four starts, he was sent back to Reno. He helped the Reno Aces win their first Triple-A championship. He finished his time in Reno with a 5–1 record and a 2.85 ERA.

Cleveland Indians (2013–2019)

On December 11, 2012, Bauer was part of a big trade. He moved to the Cleveland Indians. Some reports said Bauer had been unpopular with his Diamondbacks teammates. His catcher, Miguel Montero, said Bauer ignored his pitch calls. Bauer later released a rap song called "You Don't Know Me." Some thought it was about his former teammate.

Bauer with the Indians in 2013

Bauer worked on his pitching style after 2012. He started the 2013 season in Triple-A. He was called up to the Indians on April 6. He struggled with control that season. He finished with a 1–2 record and a 5.29 ERA in four games. He kept working on his pitching in the offseason.

In 2014, Bauer started in Triple-A again. He was called up on April 8. He got his second call-up on May 20. He pitched well against Detroit Tigers star Justin Verlander. Bauer won that game, giving up only two runs. He improved a lot at limiting walks. He made 26 starts in 2014. He had a 5–8 record and a 4.18 ERA.

Becoming a Regular Starter

Bauer made the Indians' main roster for the 2015 season. He was part of the starting rotation. He had some tough games in May. On June 16, he got his first hit as a batter. He said he closed his eyes when he hit the ball. On July 28, he pitched his first full game in MLB. He finished the season with an 11–12 record and a 4.55 ERA. He also led the American League (AL) in walks.

For the 2016 season, Bauer started in the bullpen. But when Carlos Carrasco got hurt, Bauer moved into the starting rotation. Catcher Chris Gimenez joined the team and helped Bauer a lot. Bauer had a strong season, finishing with a 12–8 record and a 4.26 ERA.

In the playoffs, Bauer was set to start Game 2 of the 2016 American League Championship Series (ALCS). However, he hurt his pinkie finger trying to fix a homemade drone. He got stitches, but the wound reopened during Game 3. He had to leave the game early. The Indians still won the series and went to the 2016 World Series. Bauer started Games 2 and 5 of the World Series. The Indians lost the series in seven close games.

Later Years with Cleveland

Bauer with the Indians in 2017

In 2017, Bauer signed a new contract with the Indians. The first half of the season was tough for him. He said it was "miserable." But after the All-Star break, he turned his season around. He had a 10–1 record and a 2.60 ERA in his last 14 starts. He finished the season with a 17–9 record and a 4.19 ERA. In the playoffs, Bauer started Game 1 of the 2017 American League Division Series (ALDS). He pitched over six no-hit innings, setting an Indians postseason record. The Yankees won the series in five games.

For the 2018 MLB season, Bauer worked on a new slider. He had a dominant first half of the season. He was second in the AL with a 2.24 ERA. He was selected for his first All-Star team. His great season was paused when he got a stress fracture in his leg on August 11. He missed several weeks. Bauer returned in September. In the 2018 ALDS, the Houston Astros swept the Indians.

In 2019, Bauer started the season very strong. He was the first pitcher in MLB history to start a season with two games of five or more innings while giving up only one hit. As the season went on, Bauer dealt with injuries and illness. On July 28, he got frustrated during a game and threw a ball over the outfield fence. He later apologized, calling it "childish."

Cincinnati Reds (2019–2020)

Bauer with the Cincinnati Reds in 2019

On July 31, 2019, the Cincinnati Reds got Bauer in a three-team trade. Bauer struggled in his first game with the Reds. But he then had a strong game against the Chicago Cubs, striking out 11 batters. He was inconsistent for the rest of the season. He finished the year with an 11–13 record and a 4.48 ERA.

In 2020, Bauer signed a one-year contract with the Reds. The season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bauer had his best year ever during this short season. He had a 5–4 record and led the league with a 1.73 ERA. He struck out 100 batters in 73 innings. He even pitched on shorter rest to help the Reds make the playoffs.

Bauer started the first game of the Reds' 2020 National League Wild Card Series. He pitched over seven scoreless innings. He set a Cincinnati record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in the playoffs. Even though the Reds lost, Bauer won the NL Cy Young Award. He was the first Reds pitcher to ever receive this award. After the season, Bauer became a free agent.

Los Angeles Dodgers (2021)

Trevor Bauer signed a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 5, 2021. The contract was worth $102 million. Some people had concerns about Bauer's social media use. But the Dodgers wanted his pitching talent.

Bauer pitched well for the Dodgers in the first half of 2021. He led the league in strikeouts and innings pitched by July 2. He later left the team for the rest of the season.

Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2023)

On March 13, 2023, Bauer signed a one-year contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. This is a team in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. He pitched his first game since leaving the Dodgers on May 3. He won that game 4–1. He was nominated for the NPB All-Star Game. He was also named the June MVP. In 19 games for Yokohama, he had a 10–4 record and a 2.76 ERA. He struck out 130 batters. On November 30, Bauer became a free agent again.

Diablos Rojos del México (2024)

On March 18, 2024, Bauer announced he would pitch for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League (LMB). On April 21, he had a great game. He struck out 14 batters in six innings. This included an "immaculate inning" (three strikeouts on nine pitches). He tied the league record for nine consecutive strikeouts.

By midseason, Bauer led the league in ERA (1.50) and strikeouts (62). He was tied for the lead in wins (5). He was chosen for the LMB All-Star Game. On May 25, he extended his contract with the Diablos for the rest of the 2024 season. On June 21, Bauer set a new Mexican League record with 19 strikeouts in one game. In 14 starts, he had a 10–0 record and a 2.48 ERA. He led the league with 120 strikeouts.

Bauer missed the first series of the LMB playoffs. But he returned and pitched well. He had a 1.67 ERA and struck out 32 batters in 27 innings. The Diablos won the Serie del Rey (the league championship). After the season, Bauer was named the 2024 Mexican League Pitcher of the Year.

Pitching Style and Training

Bauer with the Indians in 2019

Trevor Bauer likes to have many different pitches. He once said, "The more pitches that I have, that have different speeds and move differently, the more confusion it creates for the hitter." He has thrown about 19 different pitches. Some he even invented himself. These include a "reverse slider" and "the bird" (a type of split finger fastball). He commonly uses a two-seam fastball, a four-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, and a cut fastball. This wide variety of pitches is meant to confuse batters.

Bauer is also known for his stamina. At the start of the 2021 season, his fastball averaged 93.8 mph (151.0 km/h). His fastest pitches often came later in games. He says this is partly due to his "tunneling approach." This means he starts every pitch looking the same. Then, it breaks in a different direction as it gets to the plate. This can trick batters because they don't know what pitch is coming.

Since he was a rookie, Bauer's unique warmup has been noticed. It includes a long toss warmup. He throws the ball a very long distance, about 467 feet (142 m). He started doing this as a preteen. Bauer also uses a special high-speed camera. He records himself and other pitchers to study their techniques. This helps him improve his own pitches. His lean build and intense pitching style have been compared to former pitcher Tim Lincecum. Bauer even said he modeled his pitching after Lincecum's.

Beyond Baseball

Business and Media

Besides playing baseball, Bauer is interested in promoting the sport. He wants to show the positive side of baseball. In 2019, he started a video production company called Momentum Films. The company aims to share stories of baseball players. It also shows their personalities off the field. Momentum is also a YouTube group. It features other content creators and Bauer himself. They partner with FOX Sports. Bauer also makes his own YouTube video blogs about baseball. He has a podcast called Bauer Bytes.

Charity Work

In 2018, Bauer received a higher salary than he expected. He decided to start a charity campaign called "69 Days of Giving." He promised to donate a specific amount of money to 68 charities chosen by his fans. The final charity would receive a much larger donation. The campaign ended on June 5, 2018. Max S. Hayes High School in Cleveland, Ohio, received the final, largest donation.

Trevor Bauer facts for kids

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