Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 reasons why Trevor Bauer won’t sign with LAD

2020 National League Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer is still without a team as Spring Training inches closer and closer. All eyes are on Bauer’s eventual decision, with many speculating that the Los Angeles Dodgers could get even better by signing the right-hander.

The signs appear to be there. The market for Bauer seems to be smaller than expected with various factors coming into play. The Los Angeles Angels may have been eliminated from the running because of Bauer’s relationship with pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who is now being investigated after five women accused him of lewd behavior.

It doesn’t seem as if Bauer is getting the multitude of long-term offers that he was expecting. The common consensus now seems to be that the race is coming down between the New York Mets and Dodgers, with LA likely offering a short-term, insanely high AAV deal.

Bauer has said before that he’d be willing to go year-to-year for his entire career. The Dodgers, who reportedly offered Bryce Harper a four-year contract with a $45 million AAV, could be willing to give Bauer a massive one-year contract with no long-term repercussions on their end.

Sounds like a great fit, right? While I previously believed that Bauer to LA was a foregone conclusion, based on how the market has unfolded, it seems to be clear Bauer will not be a Dodger in 2021.

Why? Well, let’s break it down.

3. The NY Mets, not Los Angeles Dodgers, are perfect for Trevor Bauer

Let’s be real: the Mets need all the help they can get. The Dodgers don’t.

Before we even talk about Bauer’s fit in Los Angeles, let’s talk about how he would fit in New York. The Mets are a team with limited recent success, with their only real accomplishment this century being the 2015 National League Pennant.

They are obviously ready to contend. The Mets made the trade for Francisco Lindor and have exciting young bats in Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil, among others. They also have the start of a very solid pitching staff.

Assuming everyone stays healthy, Bauer joining the Mets would create a Jacob deGrom-Trevor Bauer-Marcus Stroman-Carlos Carrasco-Noah Syndergaard starting five. They’re a Bauer away from having an elite rotation.

The Mets have more than enough space under the luxury tax to sign Bauer, and it helps having the richest owner in baseball (Steve Cohen) lurking in the shadows.