January 6, 2023

Dodgers and Bauer Split

In an expected move, the Dodgers designated Trevor Bauer for assignment:

Bauer was designated for assignment, which means the Dodgers have until 2 p.m. ET on Thursday to find a trade partner. If they can’t, Bauer will be placed on unconditional release waivers. If he clears those, he’ll be officially released and become a free agent the following day, which is considered the likely scenario.

The Dodgers’ decision came two weeks after an independent arbitrator trimmed Bauer’s suspension from 324 games to 194, reinstating him immediately but docking his pay for the remaining 50 games to begin the 2023 season. The ruling triggered a 14-day window for the Dodgers to decide whether to add him to their 40-man roster.

ESPN.com

I find this odd:

Bauer says he was told by Dodgers leadership on Thursday that they “wanted me to return and pitch for the team this year.”

There is mild disagreement from the Dodgers on that last point:

The Dodgers declined comment on Bauer’s claims. However, according to people familiar with the situation but not authorized to comment publicly, the team’s actions Friday spoke for themselves and no such indications were provided in Thursday’s meeting.

LATimes.com

There is little reason to trade for Bauer at this point. If a team wants him, they can get him at the league minimum, with the Dodgers picking up the rest of the salary. While I doubt a team will sign him, I don’t discount some team giving him a try. He might put a team on the verge of contention over the top, and there is a lot of forgiveness when a team wins.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *