Trevor Bauer's situation with the Los Angeles Dodgers flew under the radar last season amidst their playoff push. The success of their pitching staff in the regular season led many to forget that Bauer was suspended for a rather lengthy period of time. Recently, though, Bauer's sentence has been reduced, opening the door for a return to the team. However, it seems like the Dodgers aren't inclined on bringing back Trevor Bauer for next season, per Jon Heyman.

“The Dodgers are expected to release Trevor Bauer after his ban was reduced by 130 games and he became eligible for the 2023 season. Word is folks in their clubhouse would prefer he’d be elsewhere. More interesting is whether a small-market team that otherwise wouldn’t have a chance at this sort of talent might take a chance. …”

The Dodgers can afford to let Trevor Bauer go, especially after what happened last season. Clayton Kershaw will be returning to the team for his 18th season. Julio Urias and Tony Gonsolin also emerged as elite options for LA in the rotation. Walker Buehler will albe be returning to the team after suffering a season-ending injury last season.

Plus, the Dodgers also got a potential replacement for Trevor Bauer in the offseason! Noah Syndergaard, one of the heroes of the Philadelphia Phillies last season, signed with the team in the regular season. Letting Bauer, who has a history of being a bit of a distraction in the clubhouse even before his suspension, makes the most sense for LA.

There will surely be many teams who will line up to acquire the services of Bauer after his release from the Dodgers.