Trevor Bauer, winner of the National League’s Cy Young Award in 2020, has agreed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the California native announced his move in a YouTube video on Friday.
Bauer and the Dodgers agreed to a three-year, $ 102 million contract that has exit options after years 1 and 2, sources told Jeff Pass of ESPN. Bauer is expected to earn $ 40 million in 2021 and $ 45 million in 2022, sources said.
Bauer, who has a notable social media presence, appeared to mock his destination early Friday by offering a gift for a Dodgers-signed cap on his website, though he also had several brief references. at the New York Mets, who was believed to be the other finalist, also on the spot.
Sources said by the way 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.
The 30-year-old is the first reigning winner of the Cy Young Award to enter the free agency since Greg Maddux in 1992.
Bauer, the first free agent to play for the Cincinnati Reds last season in a $ 17 million deal that was prorated to $ 6.4 million, was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball in 2020, with a record of 5-4, effectiveness of 1.73, WHIP of 0.79, 100 strikeouts and 17 bases per ball during the season shortened by the pandemic. Rival batters batted 159 against him, leading all major league pitchers. In addition to the WHIP and ERA, Bauer led the National League in ERA-plus, which adjusts to his local batsman-friendly stadium, and in allowed hits for every nine innings (5,055) in 2020.
He turned down a one-year qualified offer and $ 18.9 million from the Reds, who can offset draft pick by signing with a new team. The Dodgers will lose their second-highest pick in the July amateur draft and $ 500,000 bonus allocation for international signings.
Bauer joins a Dodgers rotation that was one of the best in the majors in 2020 and now has three former Cy Young winners Bauer, Clayton Kershaw and David Price. Last season, the Dodgers took first place in WHIP and second in effectiveness, batting average and opponent OPS.
Bauer’s arsenal includes a variety of pitches, and he had great success with his straight cut while throwing 2 whites in two full games last season. According to ESPN Data, Bauer prepared the batters to knock them out to the outside half of the plate, leading the National League with 63 strikeouts while keeping the batters at a batting average of 145 at that location.
Outside the mound, Bauer has expressed opinions and criticism about everything from commissioner Rob Manfred to MLB-MLBPA negotiations and insinuating that Houston Astres pitchers were applying substances to baseballs to increase spin speed. In 2018, Bauer was fined for throwing a baseball from the mound over the central garden fence before being taken out of a game. In 2016, he was taken out of his opening in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series after cutting off his fingertip while performing maintenance on his drone.
The Reds acquired Bauer in an exchange with the Cleveland Indians on the July 2019 deadline. He made 10 openings after that year’s deal, with a 2-5 record with a 6.39 ERA for the Reds.
In nine seasons since breaking into the greats with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012, Bauer has a 75-64 record with 1,279 strikeouts and a 3.90 ERA. His only selection at the All Stars came in 2018.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.