Trevor Bauer rumors: Reds hopeful pitcher does not sign with LA Dodgers

The Trevor Bauer rumors are heating up and several teams are in the mix. For the Reds sake, Cincinnati’s front office should hope for the Cy Young Award-winner to land with the New York Mets or the Los Angeles Angels.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com breaks down the most recent Trevor Bauer rumors and takes a look at the right-hander’s market. According to Feinsand, it appears that Bauer’s suitors are now down to four teams.

The latest Trevor Bauer rumors could affect the Reds draft compensation.

Bauer’s suitors have been narrowed down to the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Feinsand, the Mets and Angels remain the front runners for Bauer’s services.

For the Cincinnati Reds, the worst-case scenario would be Bauer signing a short-term deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bauer has long maintained that he’d sign a series a one-year deals once he entered the free agent market. The other three teams in the mix for Bauer are likely to sign him to a multi-year contract.

Of the four teams mentioned, the Dodgers would be the most likely to offer Trevor Bauer a short-term contract. According to Feinsand, the Dodgers may be willing to take on Bauer’s salary demands, thought to be in the neighborhood of $35M per season, if it’s a one or maybe two-year deal. Why? The Dodgers are dangerously close the competitive balance tax.

The Reds would prefer Trevor Bauer to sign a deal greater than $50M.

The threshold the Cincinnati Reds are hoping see the Cy Young-winner cross is $50M. Why? It all boils down to the qualifying offer that Cincinnati extended to Trevor Bauer after the season. Bauer promptly rejected the offer, and rightfully so, as he knew he’d be the hottest free agent on the market.

According to MLB.com, a team will be awarded a draft pick between the first-round and Competitive Balance Round A if the player who received and rejected the qualifying offer signs elsewhere for at least $50M. That compensatory pick will come after Competitive Balance Round B if the player signs elsewhere for less than $50M.

The bottom line is, regardless of where Bauer signs, the Cincinnati Reds are hopeful he does so for more than $50M. Virtually any deal beyond the one-year variety assures that. The Mets, Angels, and Blue Jays are all likely to sign Bauer to a multi-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $35M.

Cincinnati Reds fans have moved past the idea of the Cy Young-winner returning to the Queen City, but Reds Country should continue to follow the latest Trevor Bauer rumors for one reason; to see how much his contract is worth. For a Cincinnati franchise who’s farm system is lacking, Nick Krall and the front office would welcome any help they can get.