Trevor Bauer returned home and rejected the Mets, agreeing to terms with the Dodgers on Friday.
Bauer, the right-handed free agent, agreed to the terms of the current World Series champions, rejecting the Mets offer for three years, which would have paid him between $ 100 and $ 110 million. The Dodgers’ three-year contract is worth $ 102 million, paying him $ 40 million in the first year, $ 45 million in the second, with Bauer being able to choose to leave after either.
Bauer, 30, was 5-4 with an ERA of 1.73 in the reduced 2020 campaign.
Although it was a busy off-season in Flushing for new owner Steve Cohen and the return of team president Sandy Alderson, it will not end with them by pitching the best pitcher (Bauer) or positioning the player (George Springer) at the agency.
However, the Mets managed to win over Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco in a negotiation with the Indians last month. They also signed catcher James McCann for a four-year, $ 40 million deal and strengthened their bullpen with the addition of Trevor May and Aaron Loup. Marcus Stroman and Carrasco will be the third and fourth starters, with Noah Syndergaard expected to return from Tommy John’s surgery in the middle of the season.
The Mets also continue negotiations with outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr.
Bauer, a former UCLA star, has problems outside the field, especially on social media. He harassed a college student on Twitter two years ago, digging up a photo from his drinking timeline before her 21st birthday and subjecting her to ridicule for her 414,000 followers. Bauer tweeted 17 times to her, or to others, while discussing her for three days. Later, he apologized.
Bauer discussed the desire to launch every four days and said, in part, that his next team’s willingness to work with him on this experiment would be part of his decision. He spent more than six seasons with the Indians before being negotiated with the Reds before the 2019 marketing deadline.