Trevor Bauer revealing talks with Blue Jays prove his free agency isn’t going well

Could Trevor Bauer’s market be even worse than we thought?

While the Los Angeles Dodgers have been linked to Trevor Bauer in various free agency rumors, many would venture to say they won’t be paying over $30 million annually in a long-term deal for the right-hander. The latest buzz suggested Bauer was looking for Gerrit Cole AAV money ($36 million) in a five- or six-year contract.

We have no idea how true that is, but that’s definitely way higher than the $25 million per season many had projected weeks back. When you throw in those rumors with the report that Bauer’s market isn’t very robust right now, it makes you wonder if the Dodgers can capitalize since nobody seems to be biting in this stagnant offseason.

And when you add in the fact Bauer revealed a few days ago that he’s speaking with the Toronto Blue Jays, you have to think that buzz about his lacking market is starting to feel real.

https://twitter.com/BauerOutage/status/1344751589643309057?s=20

Not only have the Blue Jays inserted themselves into just about every single high-profile free agent chase and trade rumor, which has devalued their involvement, we’d almost guarantee they are not paying that steep of a price for Bauer, regardless of how badly they need starting pitching. We’re just basing this off of their historic behavior in free agency.

So why are Bauer and his camp even entertaining such talks if that’s likely the reality? Obviously, it’s smart to cast a wide net, but why reveal this if you’re trying to create leverage?

Hey, maybe the Jays are willing to go that high or somewhere near it. We’re not going to rule that out, but it would be very surprising. Nonetheless, this feels like Bauer could eventually fall into the Dodgers’ lap on a shorter-term deal (2-3 years) or a more friendly AAV long-term pact.

Bauer has every right to shoot for the stars, but across his eight MLB seasons before 2020, he made just one All-Star game and registered an ERA under 4.18. He’s attempting to headline his Cy Young campaign in the shortened 2020 season to maximize his value, but his quest to earn among the highest AAV’s in MLB during an uncertain offseason due to the global pandemic feels like a massive reach.

Assuming all of the latest Bauer buzz is at least trending in that direction, you have to think the Dodgers are at a serious advantage if they’re actively pursuing him.

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