Trevor Bauer joined BT and Sal in studio on Friday to talk about his quest to return to the majors after settling a high-profile legal dispute with a woman accusing him of sexual assault.
Bauer is still facing another suit, but he was never arrested or charged, and is hoping there is a team out there that will take a chance on him. As he works to rehabilitate his image among fans, the media, and others, he does not believe he will have much trouble accomplishing that within MLB clubhouses.
“I have very good relationships with players in the game,” Bauer said. “I’m sure there are people out there that don’t like me, of course, but I have countless texts from players, coaches, managers, people in all walks of baseball, that won’t say anything publicly, as I’m sure you can understand why they might not do that…I do appreciate the guys that have come out and said stuff…but there are countless other texts I have.
“I think I have a reputation of being bad in the clubhouse…some things I’m at fault for, for sure, others completely out of my control. But I haven’t felt that in years and years. Dating back to my time in Cleveland, I was fine in the clubhouse. We were close as a team. I went to the Reds and Dodgers, and we were close as a team…the perception doesn’t match the reality.”
Bauer says his agents have had “a lot of conversations” with teams about potentially signing, and is “very hopeful” he will be on a big-league mound in 2024. As for the local teams and the prospect of playing in New York, Bauer hopes the Mets and their fans would be able to move past the controversy of the 2021 offseason, when Mets hats signed by Bauer were posted to Bauer’s website before he signed with the Dodgers.
“The way that unfolded was unfortunate. A big mistake on our part, having that website page live,” Bauer said. “I regret that. It wasn’t an attempt to troll anyone or piss anyone off.
“People turn down big offers from other teams all the time, so I would hope that doesn’t impact future decisions…it might, and that’s on me. My team made that mistake.”
As for the Yankees, Bauer doesn’t believe his reported feuds with ace Gerrit Cole would be an issue, as he believes their relationship to be a good one.
“I have nothing but respect for him,” Bauer said of his former college teammate. “I’d love to pitch against him. I like testing myself against the best, and what better way to do it than to be in a rotation facing the same teams with the same defense and everything? I’d love that opportunity.”
Asked if he feels he could handle New York, especially given the events of the last two and a half years of his life, Bauer didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Bauer said. “If the last two and a half years haven’t knocked me down, there’s not much that’s going to.”