Throughout his free agency, many wondered how the notoriously outspoken Trevor Bauer would handle the bright lights of New York City and its swarming media presence. He’ll never have to find out—the NL’s reigning Cy Young winner snubbed the Mets in favor of a three-year contract with his hometown Dodgers. Though if Thursday’s introductory press conference was any indication, the Los Angeles media won’t be any easier on the controversial right-hander.
Well-known for his internet exploits, Bauer was predictably asked about his past interactions with fans in the social media space including multiple instances of harassing women online. Though Bauer acknowledged his mistakes and said he’s learned from those encounters, the 30-year-old refused to delve any deeper than that, plowing forward without going into “specifics.” When reporters continued to pursue that line of questioning, the former Reds and Indians ace shut them down, arguing that Thursday’s press conference was not the “right forum” for discussing those incidents.
Bauer’s handling of the matter was met with mixed responses. While some derisively accused the L.A. media of pushing a “woke,” feminist agenda, others, including Molly Knight of The Athletic, weren’t satisfied with Bauer’s non-responses, preferring he’d show a little more accountability for his problematic past. Bauer appeared to “like” several tweets criticizing reporters for grilling him, though it seems he has since “unliked” those.
Bauer’s troubling internet behavior, which some would classify as “bullying,” comes at a fragile time with MLB reeling from recent scandals involving former Mets GM Jared Porter (fired last month for sending inappropriate text messages to a female reporter) and pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who the Angels suspended following accusations of “lewd” behavior. According to Knight, one of the women Bauer harassed saw her Twitter mentions flooded with anti-Semitic comments including Holocaust jokes for months after their exchange. Bauer’s past tweets have gotten him into hot water with the transgender community with many also accusing him of propagating dangerous conspiracy theories online.
“Cancel culture” can be a thorny subject, and it’s unclear where Bauer’s past transgressions fall on that spectrum. Anyone who tweets as often as Bauer is bound to say something regrettable sooner or later. You could also make the case that Bauer’s follies have been magnified because of his position as one of the sport’s most dominant starting pitchers. But even with those factors in mind, you could understand why his seeming lack of contrition, especially after being rewarded with the highest annual salary in major-league history, would rub some the wrong way.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram