In their attempt to build a championship caliber rotation, the Mets await a response from Trevor Bauer.
Mets’ interest in last year’s National League Cy Young award winner is substantial – Bauer received an offer from the team “weeks ago”, according to an industry source – but it will be enough to guarantee the right-handed, who is in top of the free-agent pitching market?
Bauer is the last of the three big free agents remaining this winter, after JT Realmuto on Tuesday returned to the Phillies on a $ 115.5 million five-year contract. Last week, George Springer signed a $ 150 million six-year contract with the Blue Jays.
A report on Tuesday that Bauer had received a record offer from the Mets, in terms of average annual value, was debunked. But the likelihood remains strong that Bauer has received an offer that will pay him more than $ 30 million for at least four years, with an opt out built into the contract.
Gerrit Cole received a $ 324 million contract from the Yankees before last season with a record $ 36 million AAV. Stephen Strasburg is next among the pitchers with his contract having a $ 35 million AAV. Bauer and Cole were teammates at UCLA, where they developed a rivalry, but had icy interactions, according to a person with knowledge of their relationship.
Bauer is also connected to the Blue Jays, Angels and Dodgers. There is a belief within the industry that if the offers are comparable, Bauer will choose Mets because of his desire to play in the largest possible market, with the aim of building a brand and fame that transcends baseball.
If Mets hired Bauer, 30, his rotation would be one of the best in the game. As it stands, Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco and Marcus Stroman are ready for the rotation, with lefties David Peterson, Joey Lucchesi and Steven Matz among the back-end possibilities. Seth Lugo, who is perhaps more suitable for the bullpen, is another rotation option. Noah Syndergaard may be an addition in June, as he recovers from Tommy John’s surgery.
Whether Bauer’s personality fits the Mets is another question, especially after the dismissal of general manager Jared Porter last week for sending unwanted and inappropriate text messages to a journalist in 2016 when he worked for the Cubs.
Bauer harassed a college student on Twitter two years ago and then apologized. Bauer’s responses to the woman included digging up a photo of her drink’s timeline before her 21st birthday, subjecting her to ridicule by her 414,000 followers. Over a three-day period, Bauer tweeted 17 times to the woman or other people while discussing her and her disagreement. Bauer also bullied a reporter on Twitter, provoking a reaction from his followers against the woman.
“I was aware that some of the interactions related to a specific Twitter exchange may have had a negative impact,” said Bauer in a recent statement. “That was not my intention. I will exercise responsibility for my public platform more responsibly in the future. “
Bauer dethroned the NL Cy Young award winner twice last season, going 5-4 with 1.73 ERA in 11 games for the Reds. He previously played for Cleveland, playing in a rotation that included Corey Kluber and Carrasco.
If Mets hires Bauer without deducting the payroll, they would exceed the $ 210 million luxury tax limit. The Mets, who are among baseball’s most active teams this winter, still have a spot in the central field to fill and can count on free agent Jackie Bradley Jr.
In addition to acquiring Carrasco and Francisco Lindor in a deal with Cleveland, the Mets signed with Trevor May and James McCann, after Stroman accepted a $ 18.9 million qualifying offer.
– Additional reporting by Joel Sherman