Dodgers: Ken Rosenthal Predicts That Trevor Bauer Lands With Los Angeles
Free agency during the 2020 Winter Meetings is unlike anything we have ever seen before. Players and front office executives are forced to meet via zoom and over the phone due to the pandemic, creating an atmosphere that does not seem to be producing much movement on the market. For the Dodgers, there’s been almost nothing to come out of the Winter Meetings.
The good news is that eventually, the Dodgers are likely going to do something that turns some heads. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal seems to believe that the big move they make is signing Trevor Bauer to a deal this offseason. Rosenthal made the prediction today on the Talkin’ Baseball podcast.
I have a different team: the Dodgers…I would imagine if it was the Dodgers, that is the kind of deal it would be, that is the kind of deal they generally prefer. I just see him being in a big market. He obviously is mindful of his profile, he wants to do things to promote the game, to promote the players. And what better place to do that than in LA or in New York for that matter?
The deal that Kenny is referencing is a high annual average shorter term that the Dodgers have been known to offer. Los Angeles had reportedly offered that type of contract to both Gerrit Cole and Bryce Harper during their free agency runs.
So far, it seems as though all of the big-name organizations are in on Bauer. The Angels, Padres, Mets, and Yankees have all been rumored in recent weeks. But if Bauer were to choose the Dodgers, it would match up well with what he is looking for. The reigning NL Cy Young winner wants to expand the reach of the game, but he has also said in years past that he does not want a long contract. We’ll see.
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Dodgers: MLB Writer Suggests Two Low Risk, High Reward Pitchers for LA
Can we just give him Price’s contract and salary?
At the end of the day I think Bauer will take the kind of deal every top level FA starting pitcher takes: the most total dollars.
I would do the same as well. A pitcher can lose his career in one play (see Jimmy Nelson). Going year to year is a huge gamble.
I agree. Everyone is pegging Bauer as being set on short term contracts. But he just won the Cy. Its time to cash in with at least a Rendon level 5 year contract at $30 – $35 million/yr. The Dodgers won’t do that. The Mets are are the most likely destination. The combination of two Cy guys, Bauer and Degrom, would make them instant contenders. And they are in a buying mood in other areas as well. But if Bauer wants to do a one year deal, I would be happy to roll out the blue carpet for him.
Signing Bauer would be great but needs are still in the BP and a RHB that can hit lefties.
If the Dodgers grab Bauer, that means two of the Gonsolin, Urias and May trio will go to the bullpen and that makes for a super powerful bullpen.
The dream outcome would be if the Dodgers lose Turner, they end up with both Bauer and LeMahieu.
You can’t be a True and Blue Dodger fan.
It just reminds me of when they traded Jackie to the friggin giants.?
Does Rosenthal know that we already have 6 quality starters plus 2 good candidates at AAA to back them up?
Hey, let me make a prediction, “Rosenthal’s prediction will be wrong!” Which prediction would you put money on, his or mine?
Yours
This makes a lot of sense to me. Yes, the Dodgers won the World Series but after Kershaw and Buehler they were pretty thin in the area of World Series quality starters. Maybe next year will be better with Price and they probably want to keep Urias in the bullpen for the playoffs, but they will be one injury away from having only two World Series starters. If the Dodgers didn’t win the World Series in 2020 it would have been because of a lack of starting pitchers. Give May, Gonsolin and Gray some time- they’ll get there. But in the meantime get Bauer.
Also as a longtime Dodger fan since 1955 I want to say that the Dodgers did not win championships in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s because of good pitching. They won those championships because of Koufax, Drysdayle, Sutton, Newcomb, Hersheiser, Jonny Padres off the charts, lights out, rising fastball, thing of beauty curveball excellence. Keyshawn is great Buehler is almost there. I want more of those guys. I didn’t mind those one-nothing, two-nothing games one bit.
Re Above. Sb Kershaw Podres and I should have included at least Valenzuela. My spell checker keeps changing things. I got Kershaw right the first ime but I forgot to check on the second.
Agree with Rob S. Again, Bauer and LeMahieu.
Yes get Bauer and give up May for Lindor.
Probably have to give up too much to get Lindor who is a free agent after one year and then would want many years at top dollar. LeMahieu might not cost nearly as much and won’t need a really long term deal. Also I’m not willing to give up May. I’m not saying that we should get LeMahieu, only that it is one approach that might make some sense. But since the Dodgers would have to trade for either LeMahieu or Lindor neither would be the Dodger style these days – i.e. to give up big time assets to trade for a big bucks type player. Betts was likely a one time exception. But LeMahieu should mean less assets to give up, a lower salary, and shorter term deal; so he makes more sense than Lindor.
Another MLB insider making a bold prediction. This way, if by some chance it happens, he can say how “insider” he is and if it doesn’t happen, he’ll come up with some reason why it didn’t or simply never mention it again. And he was all in with this deal happening for the Dodgers until he wasn’t and then tossed NY into the mix at the end of his thought. Keep you bases covered at all times, Ken.
God no. One year of Lindor — when we already have Seager — not nearly enough for how many years of May? Carrot Top is for real.
Bauer seems to like betting on himself pitching great and staying healthy. The Dodgers will absolutely pay him more per year than the Mets will because the Mets have so many holes they need to overpay to fill and are going for guys like LeMahieu. If Bauer is right and keeps getting a huge raise every season he will make way more over the next 3 years with this strategy than he would signing a long term deal.