Free agent pitcher Trevor Bauer, fresh off his 2020 NL Cy Young Award winning campaign with the Cincinnati Reds has elected to pitch with the Los Angeles Dodgers instead of the New York Mets signing a 3-year deal worth $102 million. Bauer can opt out of the contract after this season as well as the 2022 season.
In choosing to sign with the defending World Series champions, Bauer joins a rotation which includes Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and David Price. The Dodgers could potentially make it a six man rotation among the likes of Tony Gosolin, Dustin May and Julio Urias.
Bauer, who turned 30 last month, turned pro a decade ago when he was a first round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks and third pick overall in the nation in the 2011 MLB Draft. He would make his big league debut with the D'Backs in 2012 but would be sent to the Cleveland Indians prior to the 2013 season in a three way trade with the Cincinnati Reds. Bauer would spent the next six and a half seasons with the Tribe reaching the post-season thrice including an AL pennant winner in 2016 and an AL All-Star Game selection in 2018.
During the 2019 season, the Indians sent Bauer to the Reds in a three team deal with the San Diego Padres. Bauer would struggle with the Reds posting a 6.39 ERA in 10 starts. But in 11 starts with Cincinnati in the COVID shortened 2020 season, Bauer led the NL in ERA with a posting of 1.73.
Despite his credentials, Bauer is a bit of a wild card with his volatile behavior both on social media and on the mound. It goes a long way in explaining why Bauer has an opt out provision both this season and next. It is quite possible that Bauer might not be a good fit in L.A. and and opt out could be a face saving mechanism for both parties.
On the other hand, Bauer might be entering the most productive phase of his career and it could prove to be the best $100 million the Dodgers have ever spent.
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