Puma: If Offers Are Comparable, Trevor Bauer Prefers Mets
According to Mike Puma of The New York Post, Trevor Bauer, who is weighing his options for his next contract with spring training three weeks away, would choose to play for the Mets if the offers he receives are comparable.
In addition to the Mets, the Angels, Blue Jays, and Dodgers are rumored to have strong interest in Bauer. Reports on Tuesday indicated that the Mets had made a record-setting offer to the 30 year-old right hander. However, those reports have not been substantiated.
It’s not surprising that Bauer would select the Mets if the offers he receives are close. Earlier this off season, Bauer was quite vocal in his praise for the direction the Mets were taking under new owner, Steve Cohen.
According to Puma, Bauer has a desire to play in the New York mega-market, so he can build his brand both on and off the field. The right-hander has a big personality and significant social media presence already, and those would likely blossom if he’s given the New York platform from which to work.
If the Mets were to land Bauer, he’d join an already strong rotation that includes Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, and David Peterson, with Noah Syndergaard potentially returning in mid-season. With Bauer, the Mets would have the National League’s last three Cy Young Awards in the rotation, with Bauer having won the prestigious award in 2020, and deGrom having taken home the honor in both 2018 and 2019.
Bauer would not come to the Mets without controversy. From an on-the-field perspective, Bauer would command a high salary (very possibly higher than deGrom’s) for a pitcher whose ERA has been below four in just two of his seven full seasons in the major leagues. Bauer also has a career record of 75-64, which would not seem to align with his possibly becoming baseball’s highest-paid pitcher, or least in the top three in that category.
Off the field, Bauer has used his Twitter account to, as Puma says, “bully a female reporter”. Bauer has been quite outspoken on Twitter, and has agitated many people along the way. Bauer has vowed to be better. From Puma’s article:
“I have been made aware that some of the interactions related to a specific Twitter exchange may have had a negative impact,” Bauer said in a recent statement. “That was not my intention. I will wield the responsibility of my public platform more responsibly in the future.”
The Mets have been very active this off season, adding Francisco Lindor, James McCann, Carrasco, and Trevor May as key pieces. Whether they bring Bauer in remains to be seen, but doing so would dispel any doubt about their being “all-in” for 2021.
If the Mets bring Bauer in at a dollar figure close to the rumored $30 million per year, they would exceed the luxury tax if they make no moves to shed payroll.
It will be very interesting how they handle this situation. Metsmerized Online will keep you posted as the story unfolds.
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