A Republican congressman has raised concerns that Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred may be deliberately keeping former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer out of the league due to his past support for President Donald Trump.
Bauer, 34, was handed a historic 324-game suspension by MLB in 2022 following allegations of sexual assault from four women.
Since then, the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher has been unable to secure a spot on an MLB roster, instead playing in professional leagues in Japan and Mexico.
Throughout the legal battles, Bauer has consistently maintained his innocence.
Just in case anyone forgot, here’s a quick reminder that Trevor Bauer will never throw another MLB pitch again. pic.twitter.com/mFQcR3YpGV
— Jacob P.M.🌔 (@JacobBSpeaks) March 17, 2025
While he settled a lawsuit with one accuser, another woman is now facing a potential 16-year prison sentence after being charged with fabricating a pregnancy and attempting to extort Bauer for abortion funds.
Bauer was originally placed on administrative leave in 2021 ahead of receiving his unprecedented suspension.
The allegations stemmed from claims made by Lindsey Hill, who accused him of sexual battery.
The MLB blackballed Trevor Bauer for less..
— Green Bean Dreamin’ (@GreenBnz) March 16, 2025
In response, Bauer sued her for defamation, asserting that she was attempting to blackmail him. The two later settled their lawsuits in October 2023.
Despite no criminal charges being filed, Bauer remains shut out of the league.
Representative Eric Burlison is questioning whether MLB’s refusal to reinstate the ace pitcher is politically motivated.
In a letter addressed to Manfred, Burlison suggested that Bauer’s conservative political views, along with his criticism of MLB policies, might be factors in his continued exclusion.
Trevor Bauer can finally clear his name.
The sporting press smeared him from Day 1 as a sexual abuser. It was all a lie fabricated by a gold-digging psychopath. Bauer is now speaking out.
"Today I’m happy to be moving on with my life."
pic.twitter.com/MODTarTO33— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 2, 2023
“Mr. Bauer was suspended for 324 games; the longest non-lifetime suspension in the history of the league – despite the fact that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue criminal charges against him, citing insufficient evidence,” Burlison wrote, as reported by Fox News.
Bauer’s suspension was later reduced to 194 games, covering the time he had already missed while on administrative leave.
He was reinstated immediately after the reduction, yet the Dodgers swiftly released him ahead of the 2023 season, leaving him without an MLB contract.
Burlison raised concerns about potential political bias within the league.
“Given that no legal action was taken against Mr. Bauer, I am concerned his absence may be tied to certain political statements he made that diverged from prevailing league orthodoxy, as well as statements he made that were critical of MLB and particularly you,” Burlison’s letter continued.
He pointed to Bauer’s open praise of then-candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 election and noted that Bauer had also expressed skepticism regarding MLB’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
“Additionally, Mr. Bauer, in responding to a social media post, noted his belief that disrespecting fellow human beings should not be tolerated, which was taken as an opposition to MLB’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
He noted that Bauer had made remarks that were critical of both the MLB and Manfred prior to his suspension.
“Given the timing and severity of Mr. Bauer’s suspension, it is reasonable to question whether MLB’s actions were influenced more by his political stances and criticisms of [Manfred] and MLB than by the allegations against him, which have since been undermined by judicial review and evidentiary shortcomings.”
Burlison also highlighted that although Bauer’s suspension was officially set at 194 games, MLB appears to have imposed an informal lifetime ban by ensuring that no teams are willing to sign him.
Meanwhile, Bauer’s former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are expected to receive an invitation from President Trump to celebrate their World Series title at the White House.
The Dodgers secured their championship last fall with a dominant 5-1 series win over the New York Yankees.
Traditionally, victorious sports teams receive an invitation to meet the president at the White House, a tradition that has occasionally been marred by political divisions.
A recent column in the Los Angeles Times, however, suggested that the team might decline the customary visit, citing Los Angeles’ deep Democratic roots and the players’ potential opposition to Trump.
The article pointed out that Dodgers star Mookie Betts had previously skipped the White House visit in 2019 after winning the World Series with the Boston Red Sox.
Several of his Red Sox teammates, particularly minority and foreign-born players, also declined the invitation, reportedly due to Trump’s immigration policies.
“All in all, it’s hard to imagine the Dodgers agreeing to a celebratory photo op with the president right now. Los Angeles is not just Dodger blue, but Democrat blue,” the column read.
“The president lost L.A. County by 33 percentage points. In his feuds with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Trump has threatened to withhold fire disaster funds without concessions. He seems to never miss an opportunity to take a swipe at the Golden State.”
“The World Champion Dodgers should stand up to, not next to, the president. If an overture from the White House comes, they can send a friendly note: Thanks, but no.”
This debate over the White House visit echoes similar speculation surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles’ potential invitation following their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Initially, there were rumors that the Eagles would reject the invitation, as they did in 2018 after their first Super Bowl win.
However, recent reports indicate that the team would be “honored” to visit, and Trump has since directed his aides to extend a formal invitation.