High-profile free agent right-hand starting pitcher Trevor Bauer has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Bauer to Dodgers
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 5, 2021
According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Bauer will earn $40 million in 2021 and $45 million in 2022 from the Dodgers, signing a three-year deal with opt-outs in the first two years.
Trevor Bauer gets $102M for 3 years from Dodgers, per source. He has opt outs after each of the first two years; $40M in 2021, $45M in 2022. He'll be the highest-paid player in MLB history in '21, then again in '22. Good job by @AgentRachelLuba & Jon Fetterolf of @zssports_law.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 5, 2021
Bauer, 30, is coming off of a Cy Young campaign in the National League with the Cincinnati Reds during Major League Baseball's shortened 2020 season. Last year he made 11 starts, pitching 73 innings with a league-leading 1.72 ERA, 0.795 WHIP, and 2.88 FIP, tossing 100 strikeouts, 17 walks, and two complete games, per Baseball-Reference.
The Dodgers, winners of the 2020 World Series after ending a 32-year title drought, will get to pack their starting rotation with tremendous talent with the addition of California native Bauer.
Bauer announced the decision on his YouTube page:
https://twitter.com/BauerOutage/status/1357779290322923521
Speculation earlier today saw Bauer going to either the Dodgers or Mets as the righty's personal website was momentarily updated with exclusive gear for both teams, including signed hats. Those links to the merchandise were soon taken down.
Bauer's agreement with the Dodgers comes fewer than 24 hours after USA TODAY baseball reporter Bob Nightengale tweeted that the Mets were signing the Cy Young winner. Only a few minutes after Nightengale's declaration did other reports that a deal was not done come out, making the baseball scribe the punchline to many jokes on social media.
To Nightengale's credit, the wrong tweet is still up:
Trevor Bauer and the #Mets have a deal.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 5, 2021
Bauer joins a Dodgers rotation including Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, and David Price. L.A. bullpen is quite strong, too.