Monday evening, while at the World Series to provide content for MLB's social media channels, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts said he hopes major-league teams will consider signing former teammate Trevor Bauer this offseason. "It's something to think about," Betts said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Here's more from Betts:
"My experience with Bauer is not anything remotely close to what everyone else's experience is. I love him. I think he's an awesome guy. The personal things? I have no control. I have no say. Obviously, nothing ever came from it.
"He's an awesome pitcher. He's a great guy, somebody who wants to take the mound every fifth day. But, at the end of the day, I don't make the decision. That's a decision that's not as simple as baseball."
Betts and Bauer played together the first three months of the 2021 season with the Dodgers. Bauer was placed on administrative leave in July of that season as MLB investigated allegations made by a woman who said he assaulted her on two occasions at his home during consensual sex. Other women later came forward with similar allegations.
In April 2022, MLB suspended Bauer two full seasons -- 324 games -- under the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. The suspension was later reduced to 194 games on appeal. The Dodgers released Bauer once the suspension ended in January 2023. Bauer was never arrested or charged. He and one of the women settled their legal dispute earlier this month.
No MLB team signed Bauer after he was released this past January and the Dodgers paid him the approximately $22.5 million remaining on his contract. He signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan and went 11-3 with a 2.59 ERA in 156 2/3 innings in 2023.
Bauer, now 32, will be a free agent this offseason. The right-hander won the 2020 NL Cy Young award and owns a 3.79 ERA with 1,416 strikeouts in 1,297 2/3 innings in his MLB career.
