Dodgers News: LA Works Around Payroll With Trevor Bauer Contract

Maybe the team was preparing for a possibility of his reinstatement?
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Trevor Bauer is back. Although signs continue to point towards him not being part of the Dodgers' plans next season, the team will still owe him money from the final year of his three year, $102 million contract. 

The Dodgers currently owe $32 million, but with a reduced salary from and docking him 50 games of pay, the team will owe him closer to $22 million for the upcoming season. $23.5 million would go toward the Competitive Balance Tax payroll.

As it stood before Bauer's reinstatement, the Dodgers were sitting at a $190 million payroll. Now with being owed money for the 2023 season along with the CBT payroll, the Dodgers will now sit at $232.5 million which puts them right under the $233 million threshold.

It's hard to tell whether the Dodgers were planning for a possible Bauer return under these circumstances, but regardless if he ends up on the team or not, the front office finds itself in a bind once again. 

Andrew Friedman remained vocal about staying under the tax threshold for the upcoming season and with Bauer's contract eating into the payroll it's not likely we see any more big signings made before spring training. 

With that in mind, it is possible Friedman chooses to roll with Bauer into the 2023 season. Although this seems highly unlikely due to fan backlash that may come his way similar to Carlos Correa

It has been quite a whirlwind over the past 24 hours regarding Bauer, but MLB fans should be prepared to see Bauer in an MLB uniform once again. Dodgers or not.


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Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Mookie Betts Favorite Moment: 2020 World Series. The Lakers won the NBA title and the Dodgers secured the World Series only a couple of months later. During such a rough time with COVID-19 and such a bleak look at how sports has tried to overcome the circumstances, it was a relief to see the night sky lit up for many nights and a makeshift parade in LA when it seemed like we needed it the most.