Incident location, Long Island
Z. The other vehicle crashed into the side of his car. No one was taken to the hospital. Ducks president Michael Pfaff confirmed on social media that Bauer “avoided serious injury,” though his car sustained significant damage.
Z. No one involved in the accident was taken to the hospital. ---FAQ--- Q: Why was Trevor Bauer in Arizona? A: Bauer was in Arizona to receive treatment for back spasms that had landed him on the Long Island Ducks’ injured list. According to Newsday, there is no set timetable for his return from that injury. ---FAQ--- Q: What did Ducks president Michael Pfaff say about the crash? A: Pfaff confirmed the incident in a social media post on May 20, 2026, writing that “Trevor luckily avoided serious injury here. His car, not so much.” He confirmed Bauer is “doing well” following the accident. ---FAQ--- Q: How has Trevor Bauer been performing for the Long Island Ducks in 2026? A: Before landing on the injured list, Bauer posted a 4-1 record and a 2.43 ERA for the Ducks, including a seven-inning no-hitter. The Ducks are the first U.S. baseball club to sign Bauer since he last played in MLB in 2021.
What Happened
Long Island Ducks pitcher Trevor Bauer, 35, was involved in a two-vehicle car crash in Arizona on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, escaping without injury, according to The New York Post, which cited a TMZ report. Bauer was determined to be not at fault in the collision.
The crash involved a second vehicle whose driver struck the side of Bauer’s car. Images published by TMZ showed debris scattered across the road and visible damage to both vehicles. Despite the apparent severity of the impact, no one involved in the crash was transported to a hospital. Bauer is described as “doing well” in the aftermath, per TMZ.
Ducks president Michael Pfaff confirmed the incident publicly via social media shortly after it was reported. “Trevor luckily avoided serious injury here. His car, not so much,” Pfaff wrote in a post on May 20. He added that Bauer had “avoided serious injury” — a sentiment consistent with the TMZ account.
Bauer had been in Arizona not for personal travel but for medical reasons connected to his current stint on the injured list. The Ducks hurler had been sidelined with back spasms, and the Arizona trip was specifically for treatment of that condition. Per a New York Post report citing Newsday, there is currently no timetable set for his return to the mound.
Before the injury, Bauer had been one of the most talked-about stories in independent baseball this spring. Pitching for the Ducks — an Atlantic League team based in Central Islip — he compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.43 ERA, highlighted by a seven-inning no-hitter. His first start for the club came on April 21, 2026, against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars in Central Islip. The Ducks are the first U.S. baseball organization to sign Bauer since he last appeared in a major league game in 2021, after which he faced sexual assault allegations, was never charged criminally, and was eventually suspended 194 games — reduced from an original 324 — for violating MLB’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. He has denied the allegations and spent three years pitching in Japan and Mexico before joining Long Island.
Bauer has been candid about his belief that a return to MLB is effectively blocked regardless of his on-field performance. “I could put up a 0.00 ERA and strike out more people than Mason Miller and it wouldn’t change anything,” he told reporters after his first Ducks start. “I’ve known what this is the entire time. I’m blackballed. I’m not allowed to play Major League Baseball … I’ve literally offered to pay my entire salary back and play for zero dollars. When I say there’s nothing I can do, that everything is completely out of my control, I have offered everything. It just doesn’t matter.”
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred somewhere in Arizona, where Bauer had been staying for injury rehabilitation. A specific road, intersection, or city within Arizona was not identified in available reports. Bauer is listed as a member of the Long Island Ducks, who play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, on Long Island’s Southern State corridor.
Broader Impact
Bauer’s injury status was already drawing attention given the absence of a return timetable for his back spasms; this crash adds another layer of uncertainty to his 2026 season with the Ducks, though team president Pfaff’s public statement suggests the organization does not currently view the accident as a setback to his recovery timeline.