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

Trevor Bauer, the likely 2020 National League Cy Young winner, could join the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021.

Pitching has been the backbone of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ success over the last eight seasons. That was evident on Thursday night, when Clayton Kershaw turned back the clock, dialed up a 13-strikeout performance, and took the first step towards changing his career narrative.

The rest of the pitching staff is in a great position for this playoff run and the future. Walker Buehler is a Cy Young-like talent. Dustin May is going to be a Rookie of the Year finalist and has nasty stuff. Tony Gonsolin has a career 2.60 ERA in 86.2 big-league innings.

Heck, the team even has Julio Urias, who just delivered three scoreless innings in relief against the Milwaukee Brewers and was once the highest-touted southpaw prospect in baseball. Buehler, May, Gonsolin and Urias are all 26 or younger.

That won’t stop the Dodgers from improving the starting rotation for next season, though, and there’s a notable name that’s going to be on the market: Trevor Bauer.

Bauer is a free agent after a career season that will likely earn him the National League Cy Young award. It might seem like Bauer in Dodger Blue is a pipe dream, however, there are legitimate signs that are pointing Bauer towards Chavez Ravine.

All the stars are aligning for Bauer to pitch alongside the best, young rotation in baseball in 2021. Let’s break down the overwhelming evidence in the Dodgers’ favor.

Trevor Bauer has already expressed interest in joining the Dodgers.

Typically, we head into hot stove season with more speculation than cold hard facts. We have some reports here and there about what teams/destinations certain free agents prefer, but it’s rarely concrete.

For example, when Manny Machado was a free agent, the narrative was that he wanted to go back to the East Coast and play shortstop. Neither of those things happened, as Machado is now the third baseman of the San Diego Padres.

There’s a difference here. Bauer has, quite literally, expressed his interest in coming home one day and playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In a video posted on his YouTube Channel in March, Bauer said:

"“I look forward to playing for the Dodgers one day,” Bauer told a fan on his Fan Fridays YouTube show. “I grew up out in Valencia, so I’d love to come home.”"

He didn’t say “It would be cool to be a Dodger one day.” He said, “I look forward to playing for the Dodgers one day.”

If all goes as planned, Bauer is going to suit up for the Dodgers at one point in his career. But after signing Mookie Betts to a massive 12-year extension and with contracts for Walker Buehler, Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, and others looming, can they even afford Bauer?

Ironically, the answer again is yes.