Could The Mets Sign Trevor Bauer?

How much money will it take the Mets to sign Trevor Bauer? You and I can speculate as it is assumed Steve Cohen will have the money to bring the free agent and NL Cy Young Award frontrunner to Citi Field. First though, Cohen has to await approval of taking ownership control.

But a thought of this highly touted free agent on the mound at Citi Field is enticing. There is that possibility of a cross-town bidding war with the Yankees, who are reportedly in the hunt for Bauer. Or, Bauer could simply re-up with the Reds.

It will require lots of money to acquire Bauer, as he is the big game pitcher the Mets need to go along with Jacob deGrom. Bauer has said he prefers a one-year contract, so the Mets’ best pitch here is to offer a long-term deal. 

Baseball insiders have said that a long-term deal has to be on the table. Those same insiders say that long-term deals for pitchers,  with the exception of Gerrit Cole, tend to be a risk and teams are not willing to go that extra route. 

And it will take a lot of money to get Bauer to join the Mets. However, the economics and circumstances of a global pandemic may prevent a Mets and Bauer union because teams including the Mets may not have the ability to do so.  Cohen and his pocket full of money, though, expected to be in control does provide a window of opportunity.

But for any potential money the Mets could spend this offseason and for any team shopping, of course there is a different approach with their economics, as a 60-game pandemic season and no fans in the ballparks has meant a significant loss of revenue for owners.

Yes, it did mean a significant loss of revenue for the Mets, and the dismal halls of Citi Field are evidence of that with many of their furloughed employees. Assume, though, that Cohen has the money to spend. Bauer is a pitcher in demand and could be a difference maker in the Mets rotation.

But how much will it take for Bauer to be the difference maker after deGrom, David Peterson, and a return of Noah Syndergaard? Steven Matz would figure to be in the plan and the Mets are expected to still have interest in re-signing Marcus Stroman at some cost. There will be interest and there has to be. 

Bauer, 29, had a career best 2020 season. Considering the 60-game sprint, he had a 5-4 record and 1.74 ERA in 11 starts with two shutouts. You want that type of hurler in the rotation and more than double those numbers during a normal 162-game marathon. 

Envision a duo of deGrom and Bauer. Two of the top ERA leaders in baseball back-to-back, a dilemma for opposing managers and the analytical experts. The duo of Cole and Justin Verlander on the mound back-to-back propelled the Astros in the 2018 postseason.

Combined that year, Cole and Verlander had 31 wins in 66 starts. And Mets fans would take a similar number in 2021, but Bauer needs to become a reality. The Mets would need to score more runs consistently, which is another consideration, and that will require more spending from Cohen.

So, before speculation of spending for J.T. Realmuto and his proficiency to drive in runs, reminder to all it is pitching that wins ball games.

Again, this is what makes the baseball offseason that more interesting for the Mets. It will get more interesting when Steve Cohen gets the expected 23 votes next month and assumes full control of the Mets.

And in years past, with some exceptions when the Mets spent and acquired Pedro Martinez, the talk of Trevor Bauer would be speculation and the Wilpons spending money. Now, though, the outlook of signing a big name pitcher on the market is no longer speculation.

Baseball insiders that I have talked with over the last week, many with an eye on the situation, say Bauer can put the Mets on top in a division that is stacked with good pitching; the young rotation of the Braves, upcoming and young Marlins rotation, and the Nationals that throw Steven Strasburg, Max Scherzer, and Patrick Corbin are formidable as are the Phillies and their inconsistencies on the mound.

But Bauer and deGrom in the same rotation? Cohen has to spend the money. At what cost will be the interesting aspect of this offseason for the Mets.