LA likely to say bye-bye to Bauer if he wins appeal
THE DODGERS are seen as likely to cut embattled pitcher Trevor Bauer and take the financial hit — almost exactly $60 million is left on his then-record $102 million deal — should he win a big enough reduction in his two-year ban that time still remains on his contract.
Though the Dodgers are consistently not commenting on the Bauer situation, they remain PRand fan-conscious, and key decision-makers are apparently as turned off as MLB by the allegations against Bauer, who drew a record 324-game ban (on top of the 99 games he’d already missed) in his domestic abuse case. That they may not need him — they lead MLB with a 1.78 rotation ERA — is almost beside the point.
There is believed to be little support inside the Dodgers clubhouse for Bauer, a Dodger for a half-year before he agreed to what became the longest administrative leave in sports history. Even beyond the playing field, with universally respected megastars Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers have two iconic sports stars with impeccable reputations, Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King, in decision-making roles, and understand an organization is more than statistics. The Dodgers, with a $290 million payroll, are run by deeppocketed folks who get the importance of catering to the customer and can afford a financial hit.
Though not all the facts have come out, with three women known to claim abuse, it’s unlikely the ban will be completely overturned as Bauer has suggested it should be. However, Bauer’s criminal case was thrown out, and with the previous record ban for abuse being exactly half Bauer’s suspension, he’s seen as having a chance for a steep reduction. He’d surely prefer a hearing held soon — his pay stopped with the ban, and more importantly, he hasn’t pitched for 10 months.
MLB teams have been willing to eat large contracts lately, with the Angels absorbing Justin Upton’s $28 million salary and the Mets’ swallowing $37 million-plus left on Robinson Cano’s deal. In this case, cutting Bauer wouldn’t be about talent but about enhancing workplace atmosphere and fan/public relations.