How the Cleveland Indians landed Eddie Rosario, Cesar Hernandez: The week in baseball
Updated 2:13 PM; Today 2:13 PM
Eddie Rosario
Outfielder Eddie Rosario still has to pass a physical, but he came to terms on a one-year $8 million deal with the Indians on Friday night.AP

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By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It might be a stretch to call it Freaky Friday, but all in all it wasn’t a bad 24 hours for a team that needed to put something in the offseason win column. It’s never a good thing to start a new year after a winter where the only notable accomplishment was trading the face of the franchise (Francisco Lindor) and the inspiration of the franchise (Carlos Carrasco).

But on Friday, the Indians earned a W.


Cesar Hernandez passed his physical to make his one-year $5 million deal, including a $6 million club option for 2022, official. Friday night they reached agreement with outfielder Eddie Rosario on a one-year $8 million deal. Rosario, who is still in Puerto Rico, has to pass a physical so the deal won’t be official for about a week because of travel and quarantine protocols because of the coronavirus.

In one day the Indians acquired a switch-hitting leadoff hitter, who just so happens to be a Gold Glove winning second baseman, in Hernandez. Rosario gives them a power-hitting left-handed bat who should be their first full-season, regular outfielder since Michael Brantley kissed Cleveland goodbye after the 2018 season.

They did it for $13 million on two one-year deals. Ask any general manager and he’ll tell you there is no such thing as a bad one-year deal. And it required more than a little help from owner Paul Dolan.

What the additions do to the lineup is amazing. The Indians can bat Hernandez No.1 and Rosario anywhere from third to fifth. Chris Antonetti’s words at the end of the 2020 season that the Indians intended to compete for the AL Central title and beyond in 2021 don’t ring so hollow.


How does this lineup look? 2B Hernandez (S), CF Oscar Mercado (R), 3B Jose Ramirez (S), LF E. Rosario (L), DH Franmil Reyes (R), 1B Josh Naylor/Bobby Bradley/Jake Bauers (L), SS Amed Rosario (R), RF Jordan Luplow (R)/Bradley Zimmer (L)/Daniel Johnson (L) and C Roberto Perez (R). That lineup has flexibility, speed, power and some needed postseason experience.

Before Hernandez turned free agent after last season he made it clear that he wanted to return to Cleveland. Last season he hit .283 (66-for-233) and led the American League with 20 doubles. He won his first Gold Glove while playing 58 of a possible 60 games. His six defensive runs save ranked second among AL second basemen.

The Indians wanted Hernandez back as well, but due to losses caused by having no attendance last season because of the pandemic, they didn’t know if the could afford him. They stayed in touch with him as soon as free agency began and hoped for the best.

They made early calls to Rosario’s agent as well, but backed off because of money concerns. Their hands were tied until they were able to trade Lindor and Carrasco to the Mets on Jan. 7. That saved them an estimated $47 million -- $32 million this year and $15 million in 2022 and 2023 based on Carrasco’s contract.

Antonetti, president of baseball operations, after the Lindor-Carrasco trade said he’d be able to reinvest some of that savings into the 2021 roster. He just didn’t know how much.


Whatever that amount was, it wasn’t enough to sign Hernandez and Rosario. That’s where Dolan gave the green light to the front office to do what it could to sign both players.

Rosario was more of a bonus than Hernandez, who could have gone elsewhere, but wanted to return to Cleveland. Rosario had a good feel for the Indians as well because he’s played against them for six years with the Twins. In those six years, he hit .277 with 119 homers, 388 RBI and a .788 OPS. Baseball-reference.com projects his average 162-game season to unfold this way: .277, 28 homers and 90 RBI.

In an outfield crying for power and stability, Rosario offers both. He’s an identical .277 hitter against lefties and righties, but has played 653 games against righties and 399 against lefties in his career.

The $13 million spent on Hernandez and Rosario closes the vault. The payroll stands at an estimated $50 million. Last season, before the pandemic and the 60-game sprint, it was an estimated $120 million. It’s not like ownership made it rain, but at least manager Terry Francona will have a chance in 2021.

The Indians still need help in the pen, but they’re going to have to lean on their younger pitchers, while bringing some relievers to camp on minor league deals. There’s a possibility they could trade shortstop Amed Rosario for pitching help. The Reds and A’s need a shortstop, but it sounds like the Indians want to see what Rosario and Andres Gimenez can do in spring training. Rosario and Gimenez, acquired from the Mets for Lindor and Carrasco, will both get a look at shortstop in spring training.

Oscar Mercado hitting 2nd? No, 9th at the highest. I can't see Naylor not playing every day. I can't see zimmer playing ever. And again why should Rosario play ahead of Giminez and if the trio listed for RF should bat eight then they shouldn't be in the lineup.

New proposal to Players Assn.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/ml ... d=msedgdhp

It's tough to know what makes sense
Not safe to bring in big crowds until summer
Teams can't continue to operate without box office
Players have short careers to reap all their financial rewards

Extending the season a week and expanding the playoffs puts the World Series in November Thank goodness for global warming

New Cleveland outfielder Eddie Rosario never met a pitch he couldn’t hit


By Zack Meisel 4h ago 8
CLEVELAND — It doesn’t take much to pique Eddie Rosario’s interest as he stands, slightly hunched, in the left-handed batter’s box. Simply toss him a pitch in the same hemisphere as the strike zone, and he’ll at least entertain the idea of uncorking a mighty hack.

Rosario swings at — and typically hits — everything. The Indians know that better than anyone.

They might as well place a slightly revised Mark Twain quote above his locker in the Progressive Field clubhouse: “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the swings you didn’t take than by the swings you did.”

Let’s rewind to the first weekend in June in 2018, the ultimate display of Rosario’s ability as a hitter, and what the Indians hope they’re adding to Terry Francona’s lineup.

Rosario broke a 1-1 deadlock during the Twins’ Saturday afternoon tilt with the Tribe by yanking Trevor Bauer’s 89 mph cutter, which tailed toward Rosario’s thigh, into the right-field seats.

The next afternoon, he greeted Mike Clevinger by poking his 94 mph fastball beyond the fence in left field. The heater sailed toward the opposite batter’s box. Rosario lunged at the pitch with a short, quick stroke from what appeared to be an uncomfortable crouch.

“The ball was a foot or so off the corner, and it just looked like he threw his bat out there,” Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes said later that day.

A couple of hours later, Rosario socked a Tyler Olson breaking ball — a pitch that started behind the batter and wound its way toward his knees — past the 23-foot wall in right-center. That was Olson’s 67th career big-league appearance; it was the first time he surrendered a home run to a lefty.

In the ninth inning, Rosario smacked Cody Allen’s 94 mph fastball as it whizzed toward the top, far corner of the strike zone. This time, he deposited a walk-off home run into the flower beds in center. Gomes suggested the ball was “over his head” when Rosario initiated his swing.

In the span of 25 hours, Rosario supplied the Twins with four go-ahead home runs off four different Cleveland hurlers. Only one of the pitches even sniffed the strike zone. Most hitters wouldn’t have bothered to swing at any of the offerings, let alone convert them into souvenirs for fans in the outfield seats.

“It’s pretty challenging,” Gomes said of facing Rosario. “I can say we didn’t quite figure it out.”

Here’s a better look at Rosario’s point of contact for each of the four homers.


Not in the strike zone? No problem for Rosario. (Courtesy of MLB)
It wasn’t just a weekend mirage. It was a snapshot of what one of the league’s more audacious hitters can do when he’s confident his bat won’t fail him.

In his six big-league seasons, Rosario owns a chase percentage (how often a player offers at a pitch out of the strike zone) of 40.8 percent. The league average is 28.2 percent. He has no qualms about expanding the zone.

However, he makes contact 67.2 percent of the time he swings at a pitch out of the strike zone. The league average is 59.4 percent.

That explains how, even though he hacks away with reckless abandon, he’s actually one of the league’s more difficult hitters to strike out. He ranked in the 85th and 89th percentile, respectively, the last two seasons in strikeout rate. Even with that “swing now, ask for forgiveness later” approach, Rosario’s swing-and-miss rate (24.3 percent) is a tick more tolerable than the league-average mark.

Of course, he doesn’t walk much, either. Rosario drew a free pass in only 3.7 percent of his plate appearances in 2019, which ranked him among the bottom 2 percent of major-league batters.

Rosario has pieced together a pretty consistent offensive profile during his four full big-league seasons. His on-base percentage won’t wow anyone, but he hits for a decent amount of power, especially relative to the cast of characters who have auditioned for a spot in the Indians outfield in recent years.

Rosario's annual slash line
2017
.290
.328
.507
2018
.288
.323
.479
2019
.276
.300
.500
2020
.257
.316
.476
2021 (projected)
.277
.314
.488
His home run totals the last four seasons: 27, 24, 32, 13 (which had him on pace for 35 in a 162-game season). Cleveland’s last outfielder to hit 30 or more home runs in a season? Grady Sizemore, who clubbed 33 homers in 2008. Before Sizemore, Ellis Burks accomplished the feat in 2002. So, Rosario will aim to be the third Cleveland outfielder in the last 20 seasons to hit 30-plus homers.

For a quick exercise, let’s use wRC+ to measure offensive output. Rosario’s 110 wRC+ (meaning he created runs at a rate 10 percent better than league average) would have ranked first among Cleveland outfielders in 2020. Last season, Jordan Luplow led the club with an 81 wRC+ (19 percent worse than league average).

In 2019, Rosario posted a 103 wRC+, which would have ranked behind both Luplow (138) and Yasiel Puig (113), though those two were limited to 85 and 49 games, respectively, with Cleveland.

And that’s a significant point: The Indians haven’t employed many everyday outfielders in recent memory. They have consistently used at least one platoon in the corner spots. They have cycled through center fielders the last couple of years, from Bradley Zimmer to Leonys Martín to Oscar Mercado to Greg Allen to Delino DeShields Jr. (who re-signed with the Rangers on a minor-league deal on Monday).

Rosario figures to play on a daily basis.

Rosario vs. RHP in his career: .277/.312/.507 slash line
Rosario vs. LHP in his career: .277/.304/.406 slash line

He sure seems comfortable hitting in Cleveland, too.

Rosario in 93 career games against the Indians: .301/.337/.560 slash line
Rosario in 45 career games at Progressive Field: .353/.379/.653 slash line

He has also proven he’s content swinging at any pitch — high, low, inside, outside, in the dirt, scraping a cloud or buzzing toward the bratwurst stand on the main concourse.

Not that it matters but taking him away from the Twins counts for something too.

Right on TFIR!

We Should Let Some N.B.A. Players Jump the Vaccine Queue
Like other celebrities, basketball stars can help build trust in taking the shot.

By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Mr. Abdul-Jabbar is an author, the N.B.A.’s all-time leading scorer and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Last month, Arnold Schwarzenegger and I separately got our first Covid-19 vaccinations on camera, with the hope that we would encourage people who were fearful of the vaccines to reconsider. We are both 73 years old (though I clearly look much younger) and have underlying health conditions, so we didn’t use our celebrity status to jump lines.

One difference was that my vaccination was filmed as a public service announcement and his was recorded as he sat patiently in his car in a long line at Dodger Stadium along with hundreds of others. Another difference: He had a cool zinger after getting his shot. He squinted at the camera and growled a catchphrase from “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”: “Come with me if you want to live.” Best use yet of a catchphrase.

I’d bet that those few seconds of film from both of us will do more to persuade certain people to get vaccinated than months of experts, charts, statistics and studies. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. Which is one reason the National Basketball Association is focused on getting its players vaccinated as soon as possible. It’s also why I agree some of them should be.

I’m used to some perks that come with fame. Getting good seats at restaurants. Going to movie premieres. Swag bags at fancy events. Of course, that’s all gone now during the pandemic. As with everyone else, it’s sweatpants and takeout for me. The only swag bag is the poop bag when my manager brings her dog around.

Actually, I’ve never felt comfortable with preferential treatment, though sometimes it’s the only way I can get a table with enough legroom or avoid having to greet dozens of fans when I’m in a real hurry to get to the men’s room. While I appreciate the fans, my bursting bladder does not.

Which is why any suggestion to speed up the process of inoculating N.B.A. players is a tricky social, economic and political proposal. I don’t agree with Charles Barkley that professional athletes “deserve some preferential treatment” because of how “much taxes these players pay.” That argument suggests that the lives of those who make more money (and presumably pay more taxes) are somehow more valuable than the nurses, police officers, emergency medical workers, grocery clerks and others risking their lives daily.

his is, of course, untrue. N.B.A. players don’t deserve to move to the front of the line because they are rich or because the country needs basketball during these isolating times. It’s not a matter of deserving as much as a way to get to herd immunity faster.

Experts agree that we can mitigate the threat of Covid-19 by wearing masks, washing our hands, and maintaining social distance. But the only way to eradicate the threat and return society to some semblance of normality is through mass inoculation.

But certain pockets of the population are skeptical of the vaccines, and unless we pass a federal vaccination mandate (which would present its own problems), we will have to do everything we can to convince them that the vaccines are safe and that getting vaccinated as soon as possible is in the best interest of themselves, their loved ones and the country.

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Among the groups that are reluctant to be vaccinated: African-Americans and adults under age 35. Other groups have increasingly embraced the idea of being vaccinated. Those 65 or older willing to get the shots increased to 87 percent in January from 60 percent in October, those 50 to 64 are up to 69 percent from 48 percent, and those 35 to 49 rose to 58 percent from 48 percent. However, those under 35 have stayed level at 55 percent, and only 62 percent of African-American adults said they are willing to get a vaccination.

The Black community has some valid reasons to be skeptical, especially of a federal government program.

A 2005 National Academy of Medicine report concluded that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people — even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” It found that systemic racism, not poverty, led to Black people from across the economic spectrum receiving less appropriate care for cardiac issues, kidney dialysis and transplants, and not receiving the best treatments for stroke, cancer and AIDS.

Plus, the Black community has not forgotten the Tuskegee study of Black men with syphilis, in which the doctors secretly did not treat the infected, or the forced sterilization of thousands of Native American women; both programs were active into the 1970s.

Black people have reason to distrust the federal government’s response to Covid-19 specifically: The Trump administration lied about the severity of the pandemic even as it was killing Black people at a significantly higher rate than white people.

Add to that the recent full-court press by Republicans to suppress voting by Black people, the numerous killings of unarmed Black people by police, and elected officials’ encouragement of white supremacists to invade our Capitol.

All this has left Black people feeling neglected and attacked, and not in a trusting mood of institutions, including the medical profession and government agencies. Reed Tuckson, a co-founder of the Black Coalition Against Covid, said it’s important that those “who have been carrying the message have been trusted intermediaries.” Further harming the effort is the Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan telling African-Americans that the vaccines are poisons designed by white people to rid the world of Black people.

That is why we can waste no time promoting legitimate role models. This is where N.B.A. players come in.

In 1956, Elvis Presley received his polio vaccine on television, launching a highly effective vaccination campaign that by 1960 had reduced annual occurrences of polio by 90 percent. Health policy professionals suggest that public health campaigns using celebrities should focus on celebrities who are influential in particular communities in order to build trust.

N.B.A. players, 81.1 percent of whom are Black, appeal to the under-35 and African-American demographics. LeBron James, whom Forbes called “America’s most popular athlete,” has 72.6 million Instagram followers, and Steph Curry has 30.4 million (compared with Tom Brady’s 8.2 million), so when they and other influential N.B.A. athletes publicly get their shots, they will contribute to convincing Black and under-35 skeptics that the vaccines are safe and necessary. Other role models might be necessary to reach other populations that are reluctant to get vaccinated, like those in rural areas of the country.

Of course, I would like to see the N.B.A. season in full swing, with all the players safely inoculated, but not at the expense of those whose lives are in immediate danger. The exception: those receiving the shots as part of a sustained campaign to bring vaccination awareness to communities most in need of persuasion. Public celebrity inoculation is a proven and reasonable step in moving the nation toward herd immunity, opening businesses, and finally hugging our loved ones.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an author, a screenwriter, an activist, a six-time N.B.A. most valuable player, the N.B.A.’s all-time leading scorer and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The club welcomes back RHP Bryan Shaw, signed today to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League camp.

RHP DJ Johnson, who spent 2020 in Japan, also signed with invite to Major League camp.

+Shaw's 378 relief appearances are 2nd most in club history

Cleveland Indians sign reliever Bryan Shaw to minor-league deal with invite to major-league spring training
Updated 8:02 PM; Today 6:30 PM
Bryan Shaw
Bryan Shaw pitched for Seattle in 2020 after two seasons in Colorado.Getty Images

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By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — In need of a veteran presence in the bullpen, the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday signed free agent reliever Bryan Shaw to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major-league spring training.

Shaw, 33, pitched for Cleveland from 2013-17 and is probably best remembered by fans as the losing pitcher in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series against the Cubs. But Shaw’s legacy prior to that November night was as one of the most durable right-handers in Indians history. His 378 appearances rank second-most among Cleveland relievers.


In five seasons with the Indians, Shaw led the American League in appearances three times, including a career-high 80 outings in 2014. Shaw never made fewer than 70 appearances in any of his seasons with Cleveland and owns a 3.11 ERA with 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Paired with franchise saves leader Cody Allen and midseason trade acquisition Andrew Miller in 2016, Shaw helped form the backbone of a bullpen that guided the Indians through the playoffs. But with Game 7 tied at 6-6 in the 10th, Shaw surrendered an RBI double to Ben Zobrist and a run-scoring single to Miguel Montero for what proved to be the game-winning run.

After tossing a career-high 76 2/3 innings in 2017, Shaw signed a three-year deal worth a reported $27 million with the Rockies. But he underwhelmed at Coors Field, posting a 5.61 ERA in 131 games over two seasons. Shaw appeared in 70 games in 2019, the fourth time in his career he has had that many appearances. He finished the season with a 5.38 ERA, surrendering a career-high 12 home runs. He was in his third year of a $27 million deal.




Released by Colorado in July of 2020, he signed with Seattle where he appeared in six games and allowed 12 earned runs in six innings.

Johnson on minors deal: The Indians also announced they have signed veteran right-hander DJ Johnson, who spent 2020 in Japan, to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite. Johnson pitched for the Rockies in 2018 and 2019, posting a 4.88 ERA in 33 appearances with a 1.596 WHIP.

Wow! Shaw is only 33? Tribe burned him out and dumped him.

Don't think he's got anything left in the tank but we'll see.

Maybe it was just a "thank you" signing and gives him a place to showcase throw in the spring. Maybe some other team will see something they like and offer a bag of balls

They need some bullpen depth in Cleveland or in reserve in Columbus
They still don't know how many players they're allowed to have in camp so how many they can invite
They'll have to bring in some catchers 3 aren't enough for two dozen pitchers

How Eddie Rosario’s arrival impacts competitions in the outfield, first base


By Zack Meisel 4h ago 13
CLEVELAND — This spring, on the back fields of the Indians’ complex and about a half-mile down the street at Goodyear Ballpark, the club will host a game of musical chairs.

A group of corner outfielders and first basemen will enter. Some will find comfortable seating in Terry Francona’s batting order. Others will remain standing, waiting for an opportunity to tackle major-league pitching.

Here’s what we know: Eddie Rosario, the free-swinging former torturer of Cleveland pitching, will be an everyday outfielder. Chris Antonetti said Thursday the club hasn’t yet determined whether he’ll man left or right field. At last, the team has an outfielder it can plug into its lineup on a daily basis without a second thought. His presence provides a bit of clarity to the outfield situation, but there’s still plenty left unsolved.

Jordan Luplow’s name will appear on the lineup card in a corner outfield spot when a left-handed pitcher takes the hill. Franmil Reyes figures to again occupy the designated hitter spot, though he’d surely welcome a chance to use his glove.

“The more versatility Franmil has,” Antonetti said, “the more options he can create for Tito to get him into the lineup beyond DH, is a net plus. So if that’s being able to play the field in a National League city, great. If it’s more than that, even better.”

That leaves one corner spot and first base up for grabs, with a host of competitors itching to prove they belong: Josh Naylor, Jake Bauers, Bobby Bradley and Daniel Johnson, with Nolan Jones likely factoring into the team’s thinking by summer.

Naylor is on track to play regularly, and he could fit into either spot. He has nothing left to prove in the minors, and he endeared himself to the city with his Ruthian performance against the Yankees during Cleveland’s brief postseason cameo.

In 2019, Naylor posted a .314/.389/.547 slash line in 54 games at Triple-A. He draws walks at a healthy rate, doesn’t strike out a ton and saw his slugging percentage jump each year in the minors. Though he’s a left-handed hitter, southpaws haven’t stymied him, so he shouldn’t require a platoon partner.

Naylor’s task for 2021 is to demonstrate that his minor-league output can translate to the majors. In fact, that’s the prevailing prompt for all of these guys.

If Naylor claims either first base or a corner outfield spot, that leaves one vacancy for Bauers, Bradley and Johnson.

All three have made their major-league debuts and have spent plenty of time at both Class AAA Columbus and, in 2020, the club’s alternate training site in Eastlake. Bauers and Bradley never left Classic Park last year.

Johnson appeared in five games for the Indians at the start of the 2020 season. In 84 games with Columbus in 2019, he logged a .306/.371/.496 slash line. Scouts have long salivated over his arm strength in right field, too. He’s 25 and the team needs to learn whether he can be a long-term solution at that position.

Bradley registered a .912 OPS at Triple-A in 2019, with 33 home runs and 23 doubles in 107 games. The 24-year-old also struck out 153 times.


Is this Bobby Bradley’s year to break out? (Ken Blaze / USA Today)
Bauers, 25, is out of minor-league options, so he’ll either break camp with the big-league club or join a new team. He has the most major-league experience of the three, with 811 career plate appearances – and a .691 OPS. Bauers spent part or all of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons at Triple-A.

When the music stops, Bauers could claim first base, sending Naylor to right field and Bradley and Johnson to Columbus. Or, the team could sever ties with Bauers — or attempt to pass him through waivers — and award Bradley or Johnson with a roster spot.

There is one potential workaround. It seems safe to assume Cleveland will carry 13 position players: Roberto Pérez, Austin Hedges, a first baseman, César Hernández, a shortstop, José Ramírez, a utility infielder, Reyes, Rosario, Luplow, Naylor, a center fielder and another outfielder or bench player.

Oscar Mercado and Bradley Zimmer appear to be the only contenders for the center field gig, though it’s largely possible both make the team, since there isn’t another roster candidate with experience at that position. Ah, but what if the Indians don’t mind deploying Amed Rosario or Daniel Johnson in center in a pinch? Johnson started 45 games in center in 2019. Even Luplow started three games in center in 2019.

Under that setup, two from the Bauers/Bradley/Johnson group could land roster spots. Plus, it might behoove both Mercado and Zimmer to play on a daily basis, and if both earn their way onto the major-league roster, that can’t happen. So, the Indians could opt to play, say, Mercado in center field and send Zimmer to Triple-A, while using Naylor at first, Johnson in right and Bauers as a backup at both spots.

Scenario 1: Rosario in left, Naylor in right, Bauers at first, Johnson/Bradley to Triple-A
Scenario 2: Rosario in left, Naylor in right, Bradley at first, Johnson to Triple-A, Bauers traded/DFAed
Scenario 3: Rosario in left, Johnson in right, Naylor at first, Bradley to Triple-A, Bauers traded/DFAed
Scenarios 4 through infinity: Rosario in left, Naylor in right, two of Bauers/Johnson/Bradley on the team, either Mercado or Zimmer to Triple-A

Is your brain spinning? We haven’t even added Jones, the organization’s top prospect, to the equation yet.

The bottom line is, the Indians aren’t yet certain how this will unfold this spring. There are a bunch of potential combinations, and Francona is often quick to point out that these sorts of complications have a way of working themselves out. But there is a sense of urgency to learn which of these players belong in the long-term blueprint.

“The lack of the minor-league season last year really was a challenge for us,” Antonetti said, “because we lost those developmental reps and opportunities to see how guys did in Triple-A. Hopefully this year, we will have that opportunity at both the major-league and minor-league level to see those guys play. … If we do decide to go make one set of decisions, we hopefully will be able to have the other guys continue to play in Triple-A, and if we need to adjust, we’ll be able to adjust at that point.”

Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
·
29m
Trevor Bauer's three-year deal with the Dodgers is for $102 million guaranteed -- and for $40 million in 2021 and $45 million in 2022. He can opt out after each year, meaning he'll make $40M if he opts out this year, $85M if he does so after 2022 and $102M if he stays all three.

Trevor Bauer signing with Los Angeles Dodgers, set to be MLB's top earner in 2021, '22, sources say
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2:57 PM ET
ESPN News Services


Trevor Bauer, the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner, has agreed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the California native announcing his move in a YouTube video Friday.

Bauer and the Dodgers are in agreement on a three-year, $102 million deal that has opt-outs after Years 1 and 2, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Bauer is set to make $40 million in 2021 and $45 million in 2022, sources said.

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Bauer, who has a notable online presence, appeared to tease his destination earlier Friday by offering a giveaway for a signed Dodgers hat on his website -- though he also had several brief references to the New York Mets, believed to be the other finalist, on the site as well.

Sources told Passan that the Mets offered a higher overall value than the Dodgers, but Los Angeles' offer will make him the highest-paid player in each of the next two seasons.

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We're still the champs: Dodgers add Bauer, send message to MLB

What we know (and don't know) about start of MLB spring training, regular season and rule changes
Bauer, a 30-year-old right-hander, was the first reigning Cy Young Award winner to enter free agency since Greg Maddux in 1992.

A first-time free agent who played last season for the Cincinnati Reds on a $17 million deal that was prorated to $6.4 million, Bauer was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball in 2020, going 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, 100 strikeouts and 17 walks during the pandemic-shortened season. Opposing batters hit .159 against him, which led all major league pitchers. In addition to WHIP and ERA, Bauer led the NL in ERA-plus, which adjusts for his hitter-friendly home ballpark, and hits allowed per nine innings (5.055) in 2020.

He rejected a one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offer from the Reds, who will get a compensatory draft pick with him signing with a new team.

Now Bauer joins a Dodgers rotation that was one of the best in the majors in 2020 and now has three former Cy Young winners in Bauer, Clayton Kershaw and David Price. Last season, the Dodgers ranked first in WHIP and second in ERA, opponent's batting average and opponent's OPS.

Bauer's arsenal includes a variety of pitches, and he found great success with his cut fastball while throwing an NL-high two complete-game shutouts last season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Bauer set up batters to knock them out on the outer half of the plate, leading the NL with 63 strikeouts while holding hitters to a .145 batting average in that location.


Off the mound, Bauer has voiced opinions and criticism on everything from commissioner Rob Manfred to MLB-MLBPA negotiations to insinuating that Houston Astros pitchers were applying substances to baseballs to increase spin rate. In 2018, Bauer was fined for throwing a baseball from the mound over the center-field fence before being removed from a game. In 2016, he was scratched from Game 2 of the American League Championship Series after he sliced the tip of his finger while doing maintenance on his drone.

The Reds acquired Bauer in a trade with the Cleveland Indians at the deadline in July 2019. He made 10 starts after the deal that year, going 2-5 with a 6.39 ERA for the Reds.

In nine seasons since he broke into the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012, Bauer is 75-64 with 1,279 strikeouts and a 3.90 ERA. His only All-Star selection came in 2018.