Trevor Bauer Blasts MLB Over Pete Rose Reinstatement Amid His Own Exile

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Trevor Bauer didn’t hold back after MLB’s decision to reinstate Pete Rose and other deceased players from its permanently ineligible list. Taking to social media, Bauer threw a fastball at the league’s integrity, questioning whether his own exclusion stems from unfair blackballing or if guilt is now a prerequisite for redemption.

"So, since Pete is welcome back now, does that go for everyone who has been blackballed?" Bauer posted on X, his tone sharp as ever. "Or do you actually have to be guilty of something to qualify for that?"

Bauer’s been out of MLB since 2021, following sexual assault allegations that led to a 324-game suspension, later reduced to 194 games. Though he served his penalty and was never criminally charged—prosecutors found insufficient evidence, and a restraining order against him was denied—no team has signed him. Now pitching in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League, Bauer claims MLB itself is blocking his return, not a lack of talent or team interest.

Last August, he alleged teams told him it’s an "MLB decision," with one club citing media scrutiny they’d rather avoid. MLB, however, insists Bauer is a free agent, free to sign with any of the 30 teams. Yet, the pitcher’s outspoken nature and lingering controversies, including a second accuser’s claims of non-consensual acts (which Bauer denies), keep him on the sidelines.

The reinstatement of Rose, banned for gambling, has clearly struck a nerve. Bauer’s not just fighting for a roster spot—he’s challenging the league’s moral compass, and he’s doing it with the subtlety of a knuckleball in a hurricane.