Would Rangers Pursue Former Cy Young Winner?

Speculation lists the Texas Rangers as a potential landing spot for Trevor Bauer if the suspended pitcher becomes a free agent.

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young said on Thursday that the Rangers’ top priority was no longer starting pitching, after the signings of Jacob deGrom and Andrew Heaney, along with the trade for Jake Odorizzi.

Young also said the Rangers were open to any way to improve the team.

Would that mean … Trevor Bauer?

The polarizing former Cy Young award winner may be hitting free agency soon, per the New York Post. The Post reported that Bauer is expected to get some of his service time and money back from his suspension, but that the Los Angeles Dodgers want no part of him.

Sportsnaut.com wrote a piece on four landing spots for the disgraced pitcher, if and when Bauer hits free agency. The Rangers were the first team listed. From the site:

The Texas Rangers made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason when they signed New York Mets great Jacob deGrom. After adding the future Hall-of-Famer there were reports the team was still in the market for another star pitcher. The Rangers pursuing Bauer seems likely with many of the top names now off the market and the team looking to end their six-year playoff drought by improving the starting rotation.

Under normal circumstances, that would make sense. Bauer has an 83-69 career record with a 3.79 ERA. He won the National League Cy Young in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, going 5-4 with a league-low 1.73 ERA. Bauer went 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 2021 with the Dodgers in just 17 starts.

But Bauer’s circumstances are anything but normal.

In July of 2021 MLB put Bauer on administrative leave after he was under investigation for the alleged assault of a San Diego woman. Among the accusations made against Bauer was that he had physically and sexually assaulted the victim on two separate occasions, sodomized her without consent, punched her in the face, and choked her to the point of unconsciousness.

Ultimately, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office filed no charges against Bauer, but two other accusers came forward from his time with Cleveland. MLB suspended Bauer for the entire 2022 season. Bauer is suing reporters for defamation and the victim in the case is suing Bauer.

Would the Rangers even want to touch that?

The Rangers have five veteran starters on the roster for 2023. In addition to that, they have four young starters on the roster, all of which pitched in the rotation in 2022. The report also didn’t note that the Rangers had made any overtures for Bauer, only that Texas could be a landing spot.

The Rangers, along with the rest of baseball, will have to decide if Bauer’s baggage is worth it.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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