Dodgers: Pros and Cons of signing Trevor Bauer next offseason

Impending free agent Trevor Bauer hopes to play in Los Angeles someday, should the Dodgers sign him?

We still don’t know if a 2020 season will be played, so it might seem a bit premature to worry about who will be playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021. However, starting pitcher Trevor Bauer made headlines this weekend when he told a fan that he hopes to play in Los Angeles someday.

The Valencia native is set to be a free agent next offseason, and he could be the most sought after pitcher in a relatively weak market. If the back-end of the Dodgers starting rotation does not prove to be reliable in 2020 (or if the season is canceled entirely), Bauer might find himself on Dodgers president Andrew Friedman’s radar.

Behind Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, the Dodgers have some question marks. Can David Price continue to perform at an advanced age? Will Alex Wood return to form? Could he prove worthy of a long-term contract? What about Julio Urias and Ross Stripling? Are Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin ready to take on full-time duties?

Friedman could easily find a suitable answer to many of the questions posed above, but there are still reasons to consider Bauer as a potential free agent addition next season, especially if he proves in 2020 that he can return to the form he demonstrated as one of the top pitchers in the American League during the 2018 season.

Let’s break down the pros and cons of signing the hometown starter.