Fastball

Social Media Goes Viral with Inaccurate Fact About Trevor Bauer's Career in Japan

Rumors spread that Bauer gave up a nearly 600-foot home run this week, but it turns out that wasn't true.
Brady Farkas|
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (27) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park in 2021.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (27) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park in 2021. | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

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Former National League Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, in the middle of a down year in Japan, was at the center of a weird story this week.

First, let's get the facts straight. Bauer has struggled this season, posting a 4.17 ERA thus far. He's on track for the worst season ever by a foreign-born pitcher, and his ERA is the highest of any qualified starter in the NPB. He was sent down to Japan's minor leagues for a start, but is back with the Yokohama Baystars' big-league club.

In his return, Bauer gave up a long home run to former Colorado Rockies slugger Elehuris Montero. According to For the Win, the "X" service "Grok" called the home run 594 feet, and social media ran wild with the rumor.

Rockies reporter Patrick Lyons of Just BB Media even put it out to his nearly 9,000 followers.

Meanwhile in Hiroshima…

Elehuris Montero hits the longest home run in NPB history (594 ft) and does so against Trevor Bauer.

The only problem is that the distance was inaccurate by 200 feet. Levi Weaver of the Athletic posted on Bluesky that the ball was measured at 394 feet.

Bauer hasn't pitched in the major leagues since 2021. He was suspended in 2021 over a domestic violence allegation and ended up missing 182 combined games between 2021 and 2022.

He was never charged with a crime and the credibility of some of his accusers has come into question, but major league teams have stayed away, forcing him to continue his career other places.

Bauer spent parts of 10 years in the big leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Dodgers. He won the Cy Young with the Reds in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

Bauer made the All-Star team in Mexico in 2024, and he won the league's version of the Cy Young Award. He went 10-0 with a 2.48 ERA in the regular season, striking out 120 batters in 83.1 innings. He also struck out 32 with a 1.67 postseason ERA as Diablos Los Rojos won the league championship.

He's continued to express interest in returning to the major leagues, to no avail.

As for Montero, the 26-year-old spent three years with the Rockies, hitting .228 with 21 home runs. He has just one home run this season.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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