Trevor Bauer, winner of the National Cy Young Award in 2020, has agreed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the California native announcing his move to a YouTube video on Friday.
Bauer and the Dodgers agree to a three-year deal worth $ 102 million, which has waived after years 1 and 2, sources for ESPN’s Jeff Passan said. Bauer is expected to earn $ 40 million in 2021 and $ 45 million in 2022, sources said.
Bauer, who has a notable online presence, appeared to tease his destination earlier Friday with a gift for a hat signed by the Dodgers on his website – although he also had a few brief references to the New York Mets, which are believed to be is the other finalist, and on the site.
Sources told Passan that the Mets offered a higher overall value than the Dodgers, but the Los Angeles offer will make him the highest paid player in each of the next two seasons.
According to Spotrac MLB payroll, Bauer’s $ 40 million salary for the 2021 season is higher than the 26-person salary for the Pittsburgh Pirates ($ 30 million), Baltimore Orioles (34.2 million) and the Cleveland Indians ($ 36.5 million).
Bauer, a 30-year-old right-winger, was the first Cy Young Award winner to join Greg Maddux’s free agency in 1992.
A free agent for the first time, who played last season for the Cincinnati Reds with a $ 17 million deal, which was proportional to $ 6.4 million, Bauer was one of the most dominant baseball players in 2020, going 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, 100 hits and 17 walks during the shortened pandemic season. Opponents fought .159 against him, leading all major league players. In addition to WHIP and ERA, Bauer led NL in ERA +, which is adapting for his hit-friendly home stadium, and allowed accesses in nine innings (5,055) in 2020.
He turned down a $ 18.9 million one-year qualifying bid from the Reds, who will receive a compensatory draft pick, number 60, signing with a new team. The Dodgers will give up the biggest pick in the July amateur draft and the $ 500,000 international signing bonus.
Bauer joins a Dodgers rotation, which was one of the best in the major classes in 2020 and now has three former Cy Young winners at Bauer, Clayton Kershaw and David Price. Last season, the Dodgers ranked first in WHIP and second in ERA, the opponent’s average and the opponent’s OPS.
The Dodgers’ odds improved slightly following Bauer’s announcement. Already a World Series favorite, the Dodgers are now at +400 (up +450) to win the Caesars Sportsbook title by William Hill, while their odds for the NL pennant have moved from +220 to +200 , and their odds for NL West went from -200 to -220.
Bauer’s arsenal includes a variety of pitches, and he found great success with his fast speed, while launching an NL season with two blocks last season. According to ESPN statistics and information, Bauer set up beats to eliminate them on the outside half of the board, leading the NL with 63 hits while holding hitters at an average of .145 beats at that location.
Outside the mound, Bauer voiced his views and criticisms on everything from commissioner Rob Manfred to the MLB-MLBPA negotiations to the insinuation that Houston Astros pitchers are applying substances to baseballs to increase the spin rate. In 2018, Bauer was fined for throwing a baseball from the mound over the center fence before being eliminated from a game. In 2016, he was scratched in Game 2 of the American League Championship after cutting his fingertip while maintaining the drone.
The Reds acquired Bauer in a transaction with the Cleveland Indians by the July 2019 deadline. He made 10 starts after the transaction that year, reaching 2-5 with an ERA of 6.39 for the Reds.
In the nine seasons since he broke into the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012, Bauer has 75-64, with 1,279 hits and an ERA of 3.90. His only All-Star selection came in 2018.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.