NL Cy Young winner Bauer joins World Series champion Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Trevor Bauer is coming home to pitch for the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner announced his decision on Friday in a two-minute video posted to his Twitter account. Bauer narrated the piece, which ended with him saying, “This season is about making sure history remembers us as we wish to be remembered. This season is about adding to our legacy. And I can’t wait, Dodger fans.”

The Dodgers made it worth his while: His contract is for $102 million over three years, according to multiple media reports.

The video was titled “MY NEW HOME!!!” and the credits said it was written by Bauer, who wore a Dodgers jersey and cap. He tossed a baseball from one hand to the other.

Bauer, who turned 30 last month, was born in North Hollywood, went to high school in Santa Clarita and played baseball at UCLA.

The right-handed free agent also was negotiating with the New York Mets. Bauer’s agent, Rachel Luba, tweeted, “So excited for your next chapter with the @Dodgers, Trevor Bauer.”

For the second straight year, the Dodgers had a mostly quiet offseason before making a blockbuster deal in February. In 2020, they traded for outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price, who opted out last season because of the pandemic. Price is expected back this year.

Bauer joins a Dodgers rotation that had a major league-best 3.02 ERA during the abbreviated 60game season last year, when the franchise won its first championship since 1988.

He gives the club a third Cy Young winner, joining three-time winner Clayton Kershaw and 2012 winner Price. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Dodgers are the first team to have three former Cy Young winners in their rotation since the Detroit Tigers in 2014 had Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Price.

With the upcoming season expanding from 60 games to a full 162-game schedule, the Dodgers can go seven-deep in their rotation, which includes Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.

Bauer is 75-64 with a 3.90 ERA in nine major-league seasons that included a career-best 17-9 with a 4.19 ERA for Cleveland in 2017. He was an All-Star the following year, going 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA.