Dodgers Offseason: Insider Doesn't Rule Out Trevor Bauer Staying with Los Angeles

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tells Dodgers Nation "there's a chance" Trevor Bauer could remain with L.A. for the 2023 season.

A week ago, in a decision that was surprising in its timing if not in its content, an independent arbitrator shortened Trevor Bauer's suspension from 324 games to 194 games and reinstated him effective immediately. The Dodgers have until January 6 — two weeks from the decision — to decide whether to put him on their 40-man roster or cut ties with him.

Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation talked with Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, and he asked Shaikin where L.A. stands on Bauer right now.

"Well, I think knowing that this was gonna happen at some point, that they probably— if they knew what they were going to if Bauer was reinstated, they could have done it right away. They didn’t need to wait 14 days. But I think because they were uncertain about what the decision might be, they don’t have an answer. And, as they do with everything in their operation, they want to review all their options, take their time and consider everything they might possibly do. And I would imagine that’s what they’re doing at this point."

McKain asked if that means there's a chance Bauer will remain with Los Angeles and actually pitch for them in 2023.

"Do I think there’s a chance? Yes, because they haven’t released him at this point, right? So he’s still part of the Dodgers organization. They have a deadline, which is January 6, to restore him to their 40-man roster, and until they come out publicly and say, ‘We don’t want Mr. Bauer as part of our organization anymore’, he’s still part of their organization."

McKain asked Shaikin to predict what the Dodgers will ultimately do with Bauer, but Shaikin, as a journalist, is more into facts than guesses, so he gave a lengthy answer without a prediction of any sort.

"I think the Dodgers are taking all the time that they have to evaluate everything that they consider and sometimes those things are easy to do. But again, if the Dodgers thought this was an easy decision ... they could told you Friday. ... So they’re not— they’re taking their time, they’re evaluating, and you know, if I knew what they were gonna do, I'd have it up on our website right now, but I don’t."

Unfortunately, this will remain the big story until it is resolved. And until we get an answer from the Dodgers, we don't know whether Bauer will be part of their 2023 plans.