February 6th, 2021 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Hindsight being 20/20 and all, it’s easy for Dodger fans to say that there was never really any doubt that 30-year-old Southern California native and 2020 National League Cy Young award winner Trevor Bauer was going to be a Dodger.
Oh sure, one can argue that the outspoken right-hander, who was born in North Hollywood, CA, and grew up in the shadows of Dodger Stadium in Santa Clarita, CA and was the third overall draft pick in 2011 out of UCLA, created doubt, (especially among the self-placating [I cleaned that up a bit] national media types – you know who they are). But the simple truth is that no one – absolutely no one – plays the social media game better than Trevor Bauer through his oft-controversial @baueroutage Twitter account. In fact, he even has his own website (trevorbauer.com).
All of this said, there was still tremendous excitement among Dodger fans – and the entire baseball world – when Bauer himself (sorry, self-placating national media types) informed the world that he had, in fact, chose the Dodgers over the New York Mets as his new home; this even though the Mets had offered him a sweeter (i.e., more lucrative) deal.
Here is how he informed the world that he was, in fact, now a Dodger:
(Video capture courtesy of @baueroutage – Click on image to view video)
Like I said, no one – plays the social media game better than Trevor Bauer.
Although the Dodgers have yet to ‘officially’ announce the deal (presumably pending a physical), it is, for all intents and purposes, a done deal. It will also make Bauer the highest-paid player in the MLB in his two guaranteed seasons with the Dodgers and includes opt-out clauses after the 2021 and 2022 seasons, with a player option for 2023.
Over nine MLB seasons, the hard-throwing right-hander has a career record of 75-64 with a less-than-stellar career ERA of 3.90. By comparison, Dodgers future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw is 175-76 with a career ERA of 2.43 over his 13 MLB seasons, all with the Dodgers. That being said, Bauer posted a record of 5-4 during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season with a National League-best 1.73 ERA to win the Cy Young award – the first of his career (Kershaw has three).
But perhaps of greater interest for Dodger fans is that Bauer joins a starting rotation that includes Kershaw, Walker Buehler, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin. Granted, the 2021 World Series will be won on the field and not on paper (or on social media), but you’ve certainly got to like the Dodgers’ chances to become the first team to win consecutive World Series titles since the New York Yankees did so from 1998 to 2000.
…unless you’re a Mets fan, that is.
Play Ball!
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I hope they’re wrong, but The Daily News of New York feels that the Mets “Dodged a bullet” when Bauer choosed the Dodgers. They say he’s carrying too much baggage. I guess I’ll just have to see.
Joe, don’t listen to the Daily News. The Post wrote a more favorable article about the deal and how the Dodgers are way ahead of the Mets as an organization. I myself love the deal. Two WS Championships in a row sounds great to me!:)
Same paper would be writing about how the mighty Mets just became World Series favorite if they signed Bauer.
I think Bauer puts up
18-6 2.35 era and leads the league in ks
Not the decision I would have made, but that’s why Friedman is in charge and I am a fan.
Like him or not
If we had Bauer start the games Gonsolin started against the Braves and Rays we would of had a better chance to beat both teams in less games.
True, but on the flip side…the kids gained valuable experience.
From a pure baseball perspective, Bauer makes the both the rotation and bullpen better. He always wants the ball, and is personally at the forefront of pitcher development strategy. It’s not my money, and odds are he’ll be off the books in only 2 years.
Beyond the game between the lines, his reputation clearly proceeds him. The Dodgers are Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax’s team. The Dodgers have historically been a leading franchise in signing talent from all over the world. That’s a hell of a legacy, that makes me proud to be a Dodgers Fan. Bauer is free to believe, vote and speak as he sees fit, just the rest of us. But what he says and does will have an impact on how fans, teammates, media, and everyone else who loves baseball feels about him. He’ll have a choice to be a leader in ways beyond the playing field. Or he could make choices that make him a parasite. He doesn’t have to compromise who he is to embrace being a Dodger in the same manner as all the legends have before him. I’ll be optimistic he tries as hard to be a good teammate, member of the community and person as he does to be a good ball player.
Now, just bring back Turner!
KUDOS for an outstanding comment!
The Dodgers stood pat for many years, hoarding prospects and setting a timeline to win the title. After you win you have to get greedy sometimes and obtain top of the line talent. Dodgers fans wanted these moves. Dodgers didnt have to make many moves and just when everyone thought LA wouldn’t do anything…BAM now we have 5 Cy Young awards and Buehler looking like a future CY. Just remember the old adage “You can’t have too many arms.” Between Bauer, Kersh, and Walker, one of those dudes has a chance to take home 2021 Cy Young.
Someone will need David Price before Opening Day. I doubt it will be the Dodgers, they need to shed some salary.now
Could Price have asked the Dodgers for a trade? Opting out of 2020 for family reasons, young children, home in the Nashville TN area where he was a star HS basketball and baseball player, and went to Vanderbilt. He still wants to play. Would not be surprising for him to quietly ask Dodgers to trade him closer to home. Atlanta, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, and Cleveland are not that far from Nashville. Just a thought — have not read or heard anything.
I read the other day, the Dodgers would like to stay under the cap. Trading Price would go a long ways towards achieving that, well, Im not sure now. Trading Price for salary relief would require giving up prospects the article also stated. I have nothing against Price. He seems like a teal good guy, just a teal good old guy that instils little confidence in me.
I don’t see how they can make it below the $210M CBT threshold for 2021. Fangraphs roster resource has them at $244M now, so they would have to get rid of the Pollock, Price, and Kelly contracts (~$36.6M) and not sign Turner to stay below the threshold.
Like I sorta stated, that article was read a few days before they signed Bauer. They will still have the same problem next year though, so… they could (I assume) begin to whittle away assp??