Should Cubs inquire about Trevor Bauer? |
Things have gotten interesting in Free Agency the last few days, and not in a good way for some players. After failing his physical with the Giants, Carlos Correa inked a new 12-year 315 million dollar deal to become a member of the New York Mets. Instead, the Mets also showed significant concerns during the physical process, leaving that deal in question. If the two sides can't come to an agreement, it will be fascinating to see the type of deal Correa gets and where he ends up.
The even bigger news came from the Los Angeles Dodgers and the MLB, where Trevor Bauer is about to be reinstated. After initially being suspended for more than 350 games, Bauer has seen that suspension reduced to just 193 games. That means he has to sit for 45 more games and then is eligible to pitch. That is massive news for not only the Dodgers, but for Major League baseball as the Dodgers have a choice to make. Given that he hasn't pitched in nearly two years and is in the final year of his contract, do they keep him and see what he has, or do they let him walk? Should they release him and let him walk, would any team, for that matter, be willing to give him a multi-year deal or, at worst, something better than a veteran's minimum? Given his track record as a starter, there will be some suitors for his services, but the question is, who will those teams be? I can see teams like the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, and Phillies all looking to bring in Bauer for a least a year. However, if I were Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins, I too would pick up the phone and see if Bauer would fit in nicely with this team. Adding Bauer will undoubtedly come with its share of questions, but it does fill a need that the Cubs are looking to fill for various reasons. Most notably, the Cubs are looking for an ace, but not just any ace. They are looking for a hard-throwing ace over which they can have multiple years of control. Bauer addresses all those needs as he is a proven ace, is currently just 31 years old, meaning you could have him for a lengthy amount of time, and most notably, is a hard thrower. Despite not throwing for two seasons, he is still just 31 and could give the Cubs four excellent years atop their rotation. Bauer is known for his high energy and who cares type of attitude, but he also brings some of the best stuff in the game. Looking at that stuff, Bauer consistently sits in the 95-96 MPH range but will touch 98 MPH plus on several occasions. To go with that heater comes a steady diet of secondary pitches, including a change-up, Cutter, Slider, and Curve. The cutter acts more like a two-seam fastball, while his change-up acts more like a Split Finger, and both sit in the upper 80s to low 90s. Granted, he doesn't use his slider a ton; it reacts more like a screwball and is extremely hard to hit. However, the curveball sets Bauer apart as that pitch is the true definition of a 12-6 bender. Not only is the velocity in the 83-86 MPH range with that pitch, but it also sits above 2900 RPMs, making it one of the fastest-spinning pitches in baseball. All that together has seen Bauer post an 83-69 career record to go with a 3.79 ERA and 1416 strikeouts. However, the last few seasons have set Bauer apart and why he has been such a highly coveted player in recent years. After going 17-9 in 2017, Bauer went on to win 12 games in 2018 and 11 games in 2019 while posting a 2.21 ERA in 2018. Then came the 2020 and 21 seasons, where he combined 13-9 with an ERA in the 2.3 range. That may not be the best record, but with an ERA like that, Bauer has CY Young potential if he can get more run support. Who knows what he could do now if you give this man 28 starts a season? While I don't expect the Cubs to land him, he is worth looking at, especially when considering the financials. Bauer was making $28 million per season before his controversial off-the-field actions took place. After being suspended for more than a year, that contract will no longer be valid, and he will not make anywhere near that amount this season. I am not saying he won't make that kind of money next season or beyond, but for the 2023 season, Bauer will be lucky to get 10 million from anyone. Given what an ace has cost in recent years, for 10 million, Bauer is might be worth the gamble for one season, even if it doesn't pay off.
