The Los Angeles Dodgers have made their decision with right-hander Trevor Bauer. After his sexual assault allegations and suspension, the organization designated the veteran for assignment. With $22 million remaining on his contract for 2023, LA can still try and trade him, but there have reportedly been no teams interested in doing so. By next Friday, Bauer would become a free agent and be able to sign with any ballclub. Despite the rocky situation, the 2018 All-Star is still a very good pitcher who can help out a contender immediately.
With that being said, here are 4 possible Trevor Bauer destinations for next season.
Houston Astros
Why not start with the defending champions? The Astros lost ace and reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander this offseason as he decided to join the New York Mets on a two-year deal. While the Houston staff is still solid without Verlander, Bauer could be his immediate replacement. Plus, the Dodgers are paying his salary, which means the Stros are able to sign the former UCLA standout for just $720,000. He steps into a favorable situation for a team that will surely contend for another title and gets to be a mainstay in the rotation. Not totally unrealistic, right?
Texas Rangers
The Rangers are clearly going all in to be a contender ASAP. That showed last winter when they spent half a billion dollars on middle infielders Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. While neither player shined in 22′, Texas went out and got even better in recent months, headlined by their big-money move for ex-Mets stud Jacob deGrom, who will headline their rotation for years to come. Plus, the Rangers also signed Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and Nathan Eovaldi. Adding Bauer to the mix would be the icing on the cake and perhaps this franchise could then actually give the Astros a run for their money in the American League West.
New York Mets
I know, this one is wild. The Mets rotation is absolutely electric as it stands, with Verlander, Max Scherzer, Carlos Carrasco, Kodai Senga, and Jose Quintana. That's five arms, but there is no question Bauer profiles as a guy who could help them out in a big way. The righty is still sitting in the mid-90s with nasty off-speed stuff and knows what it's like to pitch for a playoff team. We also can't forget that owner Steve Cohen is evidently committed to doing whatever it takes to bring a World Series to Flushing Meadows, spending a boatload of money in free agency so far, whether the Carlos Correa deal goes through or not. Trevor Bauer comes at a bargain and is still capable of dominating, no matter the role. The Mets need to at least give this a thought.
San Diego Padres
The Padres have a very good-looking rotation, spearheaded by Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, and Yu Darvish. They will give Seth Lugo a chance to win a starting spot in Spring Training, while Nick Martinez is also likely to be in the rotation again. Past the top three though, there isn't a ton of consistency, which is why Bauer would be perfect. He doesn't have the pressure of being a No.1 or No. 2 starter. He can just pitch and strengthen the back end of the staff. Although Bauer probably doesn't care, it's an opportunity to make the Dodgers regret letting him go, too. That Highway Series is wild, as we saw in the playoffs, with San Diego finally getting the last laugh.
Trevor Bauer will land on his feet. All of these teams need to consider signing the 31-year-old.
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