Should Red Sox Sign Cy-Young Winning Ace With Controversial Past To Bolster Rotation?

Boston appears to be a frontline starter away from having a strong rotation

Scott Neville | Jan 8, 2023

Should Red Sox Sign Cy-Young Winning Ace With Controversial Past To Bolster Rotation? /

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Boston Red Sox

Could the Boston Red Sox become a contender in the stacked American League East by adding a legitimate ace?

Boston could desperately use a boost, and a rare talent is set to hit the market. The move would be a slam dunk if it weren't for the player's troubled past.

Right-handed ace Trevor Bauer was designated for assignment Friday by the Los Angeles Dodgers for a domestic abuse scandal that kept him off the field for half of the 2021 season and the entire 2022 season.

Each fan will have their own opinion of Bauer, and whether they would want him on Boston's roster next season. One thing that is not up for debate, is his talent level.

Bauer posted an 8-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, 137-to-37 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 1.00 WHIP and .182 batting average against in his unexpectedly brief 107 2/3-inning stint with the Dodgers in 2021.

The season prior, Bauer ran away with the National League Cy Young Award after leading the league with a 1.73 ERA, 284 ERA+ (meaning he was almost three times better than the league average pitcher), .080 WHIP and 5.1 hits per nine innings. He made his biggest mark in a shortened 60-game season but his numbers are indisputable.

While controversial, the addition of Bauer to a group that already includes Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello, Corey Kluber and James Paxton would give Boston a substantially improved rotation from a season ago. It would also allow Tanner Houck to remain in the bullpen.

I'm not going to be the one demanding a player with Bauer's past be flown immediately into Boston, but the on-field effect of adding a Cy-Young winner into the Red Sox's lackluster rotation cannot be understated.

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Published Jan 8, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu