Former Cy Young Winner Dominating; Should Cardinals Consider Signing Him?

Would it be worth the risk for St. Louis to acquire this hurler?

Mar 30, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium before an opening day game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals look like they're finally starting to find their groove and it's coming at just the right time as we head into the summer months before the July 30 trade deadline.

With recent injuries in the Cardinals rotation, the team has had to scramble by moving reliever Matthew Liberatore into the rotation. With the lack of depth in St. Louis' arsenal, some have claimed that the club should dip into the farm system for the time being.

Another potential option to help bolster the Cardinals' limited rotation could be a former Cy Young award winner who has been dominating the international league level but has some notable off-the-field issues.

Right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer has pitched lights out this season for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico in the Mexican Baseball League after a strong stint in Japan last year.

Bauer has posted a 5-0 record with a 1.50 ERA, 62-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 31 hits allowed and a 0.95 WHIP in 42 innings pitched across seven starts for the Diablos Rojos in 2024.

On the surface, it might seem intriguing to sign a former Cy Young hurler who's still providing high-quality innings and might be a powerful weapon that could bolster the Cardinals' rotation for a fairly small price.

However, the ace has a lot of baggage -- too much for the respectable St. Louis organization to look past.

Not only has Bauer been accused of numerous domestic violence charges -- which have been settled but are still relevant in being a stain on his reputation -- but he holds an image of being a toxic teammate in the locker room who lashes out at others and disrespects management.

No matter how dominant a pitcher Bauer is or how desperate the Cardinals are for another starter, St. Louis should never consider risking its reputation and team chemistry by signing such a player riddled with controversy and scandal.

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