Controversial former ace Trevor Bauer on returning to baseball in Japan: "I didn't feel like I'd been away at all"

Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer is now pitching for the Yokohoma Baystars in Japan. They're a minor league team that has been one of the only situations the enigmatic pitcher has been able to link with.

After sexual assault allegations and a lengthy suspension, the former ace was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers last off-season. When no team came forward to add him, he moved on to Japan. His debut went rather well.

Bauer said via Marca:

"I thought the day went really well. The stuff was good, the command was good. The health was good. I feel like I'm ready to compete now, but I have to build my pitch count."

Bauer pitched four innings and recorded six strikeouts. He gave up just four hits as well. He added:

"I've stayed ready. I didn't feel like I'd been away at all. The game came to me well. It didn't speed up on me. I commanded the ball. There really wasn't any adjustment. Just competitive baseball instead of throwing to hitters in a cage."

He will eventually move up to the big leagues in Japan, but for now he's ramping up in the minors. Even still, the minor league team, which usually doesn't have a lot of viewers, had a ton of spectators for Trevor Bauer's debut. Their stream reached about 15 times their average audience.

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Will Trevor Bauer return to the MLB?

Trevor Bauer's contract to pitch in Japan is only for one season. He signed a one-year deal, likely because he didn't want to commit to being overseas for longer than that.

Can Trevor Bauer ever make it back to MLB?

Nevertheless, he could return to MLB after that. Will he be able to? The ace pitcher likely wants to as there's no greater baseball league on earth.

However, MLB teams may still be hesitant. With all the baggage and issues surrounding him, his talent may not be enough to override that. He will need to pitch incredibly well this season to prove he's worth the risk.