Dodgers: 3 reasons the stars are aligning for Trevor Bauer to join LAD in 2021

TBauer and the Dodgers think alike with short-term contracts.

The Dodgers just gave Mookie Betts the longest and largest contract in franchise history that will pay him until 2040, so the narrative that the team only wants to sign short-term contracts is a bit unfair. It depends on the player and it depends on the situation.

It does not make sense to sign a player to a long-term deal if the Dodgers think they are going to heavily regress down the line. They obviously think differently with Betts, plus, the team was smart and deferred some of the money to lessen the blow later down the road.

Even though Bauer is great, it does not make sense to sign him to a contract close to Gerrit Cole’s because of the players they already have and want to keep around for the long haul. However, Bauer is not going to be asking for that kind of contract, which is right up the Dodgers’ alley.

Bauer has said in the past that he plans on only signing one-year contracts for the rest of his career. That might not turn out to be 100% accurate, but perhaps he’ll want a shorter-term deal with a contender that allows him to explore his options again when he’s still pitching well.

The Dodgers infamously offered Bryce Harper a four-year contract with a $45 million AAV, so they’re clearly proponents of that line of thinking. That is what makes this a great fit. The Dodgers could sign Bauer to a  hefty one-year year contract with a big player option for the 2022 season (just to give Bauer that flexibility).

According to Spotrac, the Dodgers will be $92 million under the luxury tax threshold for 2021, so giving Bauer a gigantic one- or two-year deal can easily work from a financial perspective.

There are two reasons why Bauer to the Dodgers in 2021 makes the most sense.

So we’ve established that Bauer eventually wants to be a Dodger and that the financial desires match. That raises one last question: why 2021 instead of 2022 or 2023 or 2024?

1. The Dodgers provide Bauer his best destination to win the World Series

The Dodgers are going to be the favorites to win the World Series in 2021 even without Bauer. No matter what happens this postseason, the Dodgers are still going to be the most talented team top-to-bottom heading into next year.

Bauer obviously increases those odds. If they win in 2020 then a Bauer addition would have everyone talking about a potential back-to-back champion. If they don’t win in 2020, then Bauer could be viewed as that final piece for a 2021 World Series push.

Regardless, the Dodgers are his best bet. Sure, the San Diego Padres are an intriguing option and could be in the mix, but there really aren’t a ton of other contenders that seem like a fit. We’ve heard about the Yankees-Gerrit Cole conflict. He’s not going to the Astros, or a team like the Angels. The A’s and Rays can’t afford him. The White Sox could make sense, but that seems to be about it.

Oh, and apparently the Atlanta Braves won’t be an option now either … at least that’s what we think after reading between the lines.

2. This could be his only chance to pitch alongside Clayton Kershaw

Kershaw is a free agent after the 2021 season. This doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee he leaves the Dodgers, but the door is likely open if he wants to go play close to home in Texas.

It sounds trivial, but if I’m Bauer and I’m intent on only signing one-year deals, I’m taking my chance to pitch alongside Kershaw, the best pitcher of this generation, while he’s still in All-Star form.

Bauer is a really smart guy and could probably learn some things from Kershaw that help him for the rest of his career. Sure, he could be a Dodger in the future beyond 2021, but then he doesn’t get that chance to pitch alongside one of the best to ever do it.