Trevor got us good. When the NL’s reigning Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer announced, via his agent Rachel Luba, he had narrowed his free-agent decision down to two teams—the Mets and Dodgers—none of us really believed him. The entire industry thought it was Mets or bust for Bauer with most assuming he was either delaying the inevitable (Lord knows the attention-loving Bauer has milked his free agency for everything it’s worth) or keeping the Dodgers involved as a last-ditch leverage play.
Even with his L.A. connection (he’s from the area and starred at UCLA), the Dodgers, already well-stocked with Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler atop their starting rotation, were considered a distant second in the Bauer Sweepstakes. The right-hander had spent the entire offseason heaping praise on new owner Steve Cohen while flirting with the Mets every chance he got.
With Bauer’s decision imminent, an avalanche of tweets came to light Friday afternoon with Twitter users sharing screengrabs of automated emails and merchandise available through Bauer’s website. All of it pointed to Bauer joining the Mets.
And then, in a troll masterpiece of epic proportion, Bauer pulled the rug out from underneath New York with this seismic announcement.
Predictably, the way Bauer presented his choice, creating a spectacle on par with LeBron James’ infamous “Decision,” rubbed many the wrong way. There are bound to be hurt feelings whenever a free agent snubs one team in favor of another, but the way Bauer led Mets fans on, only to stomp on their hearts at the very last second, was uniquely cruel.
Bauer’s decision left many Mets fans reeling, though others were relieved, seeing it as a blessing in disguise.
Bauer’s talent is undeniable, though his eccentricities, both on and off the field, combined with his extremely active—and often controversial—Twitter presence make him the definition of high-maintenance. Had they signed him, the Mets, who are still weathering fallout from scandals involving Mickey Callaway and ex-GM Jared Porter, would have had to answer for Bauer’s concerning track record, including incessantly harassing a woman on Twitter in 2019.
Mets fans are bound to be disappointed with what has transpired in recent weeks with Bauer and former World Series MVP George Springer both choosing other destinations. With that said, the Mets are still in a better place than they were a year ago, having acquired perennial All-Star Francisco Lindor along with coveted free agents Trevor May and James McCann. Bauer’s snub also gives New York more to spend on Lindor, whose next contract will not come cheap. So maybe there’s a silver lining to be had, even if it’s hard for Mets fans to see it right now.
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