Dodgers: MLB Insider Says Reduced Suspension Likely For Trevor Bauer

Trevor Bauer is currently serving a whopping 324-game ban passed down by Major League Baseball. The Dodgers hurler also just started the appeal process, which could last for months given the length and nature of his suspension. 

That suspension will yield one of three results. He could have the appeal denied and would need to serve the full suspension. He could win the appeal entirely and have it completely wiped away. Or, the Dodgers pitcher could see part of his suspension removed. 

That’s what Jeff Passan thinks will happen. He spoke about Bauer with Buster Olney on the Baseball Tonight podcast, and he said that it would make sense for them to come to that agreement. That could potentially mean that he would be eligible to return before his contract with the Dodgers is up.

“It could be reduced, which I think is probably the likeliest scenario because there is precedence. When you look at a suspension as enormous as this one, typically huge suspensions find some kind of reduction. I don’t know if it’s going to be a half-season, I don’t know if it’s going to be a full season. But MLB believes that it has a mountain of evidence against Trevor Bauer.”

A half-season could mean that Bauer is eligible to return late in the 2024 season. The exact timeline of that would be pretty unclear given that MLB did not allow him to apply the time he served on administrative leave. But there is also the question of what the Dodgers would do, especially if he were able to return for the full 2024 season.

Dodgers Related: Trea Turner on His Upcoming Free Agency

They could obviously let him play it out, but the Dodgers are very aware of the PR nightmare that could be. They would also only need to absorb about $35 million in salary if he were able to pitch in 2024 and they wanted to cut him. But they have to get the appeal process figured out first, and that could be a while.

Dodgers: Trea Turner Wants to Play With Juan Soto Again…Maybe in LA?