Dodgers Sign SP Trevor Bauer

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Similar to LeBron's decision, Trevor Bauer's announcement over where he would be signing this offseason was dramatic and simply crazy. Bauer flirted with many teams including the New York Mets multiple times this offseason into Friday. Bauer announced on his YouTube channel that he was signing with the hometown Dodgers. Bauer is getting paid bigtime. Bauer is getting paid 40 Million Dollars in 2021, 45 Million in 2022, and 17 Million in 2023. Bauer has opt outs after every year and it is very possible that Trevor will opt out before the 2023 Season, where he is supposed to get paid 17 Million Dollars that year. Bauer's contract shocked people throughout baseball and came under scrutiny as Bauer can be volatile and often acts out. Bauer is a very solid pitcher that has promise and potential which he showed in 2020 in the short 60 game season. Hiowever, many do believe that this contract is too large as he is getting paid more then any other player in both 2021 and 2022, including Mike Trout and Gerrit Cole.

What This Means For The Dodgers

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The Dodgers are the best in baseball right now and it is not even close. The Dodgers have a stellar rotation led by Kershaw, Buehler, and now Bauer. Their bullpen is very good and their lineup is elite with Betts, Bellinger, Seager, and many others. The Dodgers have a plathera of depth, especially in the rotation. The Dodgers have added Bauer which gives them another elite pitcher to join the previously mentioned Kershaw and Buehler.

The Dodgers are the clear favorites to repeat in the World Series and win the Fall Classic for a second straight year in 2021. The Dodgers have a real chance to do this for the first time since the Yankees three-peat in 1998, 1999, and 2000. The Dodgers are easily the best team in baseball and might even be the best team in the 21st Century so far. The 2021 Dodgers are one of the best teams in baseball history and will dominate once again in 2021.

What This Means For The Mets

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The Mets have been after nearly every free agent this offseason from JT Realmuto to George Springer to Trevor Bauer. The Mets believed that they had a very good chance to sign the Star Starting Pitcher, and believed that he would end up in New York. Obviously this did not happen to the sorrow of many Mets fans.

However, this is a blessing in disguise for the Mets as Bauer's contract is ridiculous and would have made it hard for the club to extend or re-sign Francisco Lindor and Michael Conforto, as well as Noah Syndergaard as well. The Mets now have space to extend these players and still spend money next offseason, without the financial obligation to Bauer. The Mets will be just fine in 2021 and might not be done this offseason in addition to the other moves the club has already made.

What This Means For The Rest Of Baseball

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This move will and already has had a large effect on baseball.

First, the rest of the National League and the San Diego Padres. This move once again shows that the Dodgers are the best team in the National League and it is not even remotely close. The Dodgers are the best team by far and the Braves, Padres, and others absolutely cannot reach the Dodgers. The Padres seemed like they had a good chance to win the NL West this offseason considering how active the club has been this offseason. However, the Padres cannot contend with the Dodgers and are better off aiming to take the first Wild Card spot.

Next, the rest of the baseball. This move by the Dodgers shocked many people as the expectation for awhile was that Bauer would sign with the Mets. Bauer has received the largest AAV for any player, larger then Trout and other star players. This set a new record and made baseball history.

Trevor Bauer's Free Agency and this signing with the Dodgers was a huge deal and it will be interesting to see how this effects the game of baseball and the 2021 Season. For more, check out other articles on my website and make sure to check out other pages on my website and my Instagram account, @marksportsmlb