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“You can’t always get what you want…
But if you try sometimes, you might find
you get what you need.”

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Those old enough to remember immediately recognize those famous lyrics from The Rolling Stones smash hit “You can’t always get what you want,” written and performed by Mick Jagger back in 1969. It was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004.

New Dodgers right-hander Trevor Bauer is not old enough to remember. In fact, Jagger was 48 years old when Bauer was born on January 17, 1991 (Jagger is now 77).

As most baseball fans know, the oft-controversial Bauer made it well known that he wants to start every fourth day; this going back to a video he posted on his BauerOutage YouTube channel on January 10, 2021. In that video, the 30-year-old North Hollywood, CA native and first-round (third overall) draft pick in 2011 by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of UCLA said that he wants to sign with a team “…that’s open to having an honest discussion with me about pitching every fourth day.”

Trevor Bauer is not going to pitch every fourth day with the Dodgers. In fact, there may be times during the 2021 season where doesn’t pitch every five days.

Although it is hard to imagine that the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner will not be in the Dodgers five-man starting rotation, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will have seven legitimate starters on his 25 (or 26)-man roster on Opening Day 2021 – barring injuries, of course. They are:

• Bauer (RH)*
• Clayton Kershaw (LH)*
• Walker Buehler (RH)
• David Price (LH)*
• Dustin May (RH)
• Julio Urias (LH)
• Tony Gonsolin (RH)

(* Cy Young Award winner)

Although this is a wonderful problem to have and clearly gives the Dodgers the best starting rotation in all of baseball, it is not what newcomer Trevor Bauer wants. It may, however, be what he – and the Dodgers – need.

During his introductory (Zoom) press conference on Thursday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, Bauer referenced his earlier “every fourth-day” comment, albeit in somewhat of a reconciliatory tone.

“Me wanting to pitch every fourth day is not a selfish thing,” Bauer explained. “I have a lot of reasons behind why I feel like I would be a better pitcher doing that, which would help the team and how it may help other players in the organization and on the team as well. I don’t make those decisions, obviously.”

Obviously.

The guy who does, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, cleared that up in a hurry.

“The durability is just as impressive [as Bauer’s talent],” Friedman said. “The fact that he’s been able to take the ball every fifth day, much to his chagrin not every fourth day, is not to be understated. I think people focus on the talent, as they should. But his ability to take the ball every turn is real impactful.”

Again, this is a wonderful problem for Roberts and Friedman to have and it certainly helps to fill one of the Dodgers’ needs.

…even if it’s not be what Trevor Bauer wants.

Play Ball!

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