Trevor Bauer was at one point one of the best pitchers in baseball. The UCLA product was an All-Star in 2018 and won the Cy Young in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 3-year, $102 million contract before the 2021 season. Bauer was expected to be another cornerstone of a rotation that already featured stars like Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Julio Urias.
The righty pitched well in Los Angeles, too. Entering July 2021, he was leading the league in innings pitched and strikeouts. But, everything changed when allegations of Bauer committing a brutal sexual assault came to light in late June into early July.
He was immediately placed on administrative leave. Those allegations went through the legal system, where it was deemed that there was not enough evidence to press charges on the pitcher. Still, Major League Baseball handed down a remarkable 324-game suspension that was reduced to 194 last year in an appeal.
But, the suspension is now expired, and the Los Angeles Dodgers had to decide what to do with a pitcher that is as toxic as can be.
The Los Angeles Dodgers designated Trevor Bauer for assignment on Friday
Friday was their deadline to make a decision, and they did just that. Trevor Bauer will no longer be a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are designating right-hander Trevor Bauer for assignment, sources tell ESPN.
The Dodgers will eat $22.5 million. Bauer can sign with any major league team for the $720,000 minimum and can play immediately after completing a record-long suspension.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 7, 2023
And, the Dodgers put out a statement.
#Dodgers statement on Trevor Bauer. pic.twitter.com/Td6WFhA8WJ
— Howard Cole (@Howard_Cole) January 7, 2023
Bauer responded with a statement of his own, though. He alleges that the franchise told him recently they wanted him back. I find that hard to believe, considering that every report since the allegations came to light have made it clear the Dodgers wanted nothing to do with him.
Bauer statement: pic.twitter.com/T91gnIR6Fx
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) January 7, 2023
Yeah, I don’t buy that statement at all. There’s no way they wanted to bring him back.
It will be interesting to see if a team does sign Bauer, given the backlash it would produce.