If you weren’t a fan of 30-year-old defending National League Cy Young Award winner Dodgers right-hander Trevor Bauer because of his oft-controversial on-field antics, you are really not going to be a fan of him now. Then again, if you are a Dodger fan who absolutely positively hates the San Francisco Giants – and what true Dodger fan worth their salt doesn’t – you are now probably a huge Trevor Bauer fan after his Tommy Lasorda-like on-field antics as he exited Friday night’s game at Oracle Park after his brilliant 6.1-inning performance over The Hated Ones.

After limiting Gabe Kapler‘s Giants to only one run on two hits with four walks and 11 strikeouts, the North Hollywood, CA native and longtime Santa Clarita resident was removed from the game by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. As he was walking off the field after making a season-high 126 pitches (72 for strikes), the lifelong Dodger fan (i.e., lifelong Giants hater) did so to a chorus of boos from the COVID-19-limited crowd of 12,753, most of whom were not Dodger fans.

“They’re going to hate me anyway, might as well lean into it,” Bauer told reporters (via Zoom) after his team’s 2–1 win over the NL West-leading Giants. “I like when the crowd’s into it. It makes the moment feel bigger, and I perform better in those moments. It just feeds me.”

“What do they say, let the kids play?” Roberts said postgame. “The gamesmanship, the fun, the banter back and forth, he dishes it out. He can take it. It’s just great for the game.”

As noted, Bauer exited the game to a chorus of boos from Giants fans, although, in his words, it was a rather weak chorus.

“The fans wanted to boo me, so I wanted them to turn the volume up,” Bauer said. “Like, if you’re going to boo me then don’t … I can’t say that … don’t half, you know, whatever it – I’m not allowed to say that – just give it to me.”

Also as noted, Bauer struck out 11 Giants batters on the night to give him a National League-leading 88 on the season. More importantly, with his (now) team-leading 1.98 ERA and (now) 5-2 record over his MLB-leading 10 starts and 63.2 innings pitched, the Dodgers now trail the division-leading Giants and San Diego Padres (who have won seven straight) by only one game in the NL West standings.

Whether you like his antics or not, with his National League-leading 88 strikeouts and sixth-best 1.98 ERA, Bauer is definitely in the running to win his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award.

Play Ball!

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