It's a good day whenever Cincinnati Reds fans forget that Trevor Bauer once pitched for their club. On Monday, the former pitcher was back in the eye of Reds fans for sending out what looked to be a potshot against two beloved former Reds on the site formerly known as Twitter.
While Bauer did not directly name the two former Reds teammates that did not like him, fans came to the general conclusion that he was referring to former third baseman and All-Star, Eugenio Suarez as well as future Hall of Famer, Joey Votto .
Bauer was known for a number of things in his 10-year MLB career that was ultimately cut short due to allegations of sexual assault. He was traded to the Reds as part of a three-team trade at the 2019 trade deadline that saw Cincinnati send Taylor Trammell to the San Diego Padres and Yasiel Puig and Scott Moss to the Cleveland Guardians.
He finished the 2019 season with a 6.39 ERA in 10 starts with the Reds. Then, in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he went 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA in 11 starts, leading the majors and winning the Cy Young Award.
His 2020 season was a statistical anomaly in his career but he did bring home the club's first Cy Young Award. It was what happened next (along with his general personality and social media presence) that defined his MLB career.
After signing a three-year $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bauer lasted 17 starts (2.59 ERA) before the trouble hit.
On July 2, 2021, Bauer was placed on administrative leave while MLB opened an investigation into sexual assault allegations. In September, both MLB and the players' union agreed to extend his leave through the rest of the season, which was an unprecedented move.
Then, on April 29, 2022, he was at the center of another unprecedented move. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended Bauer 324 games without pay for violating the league's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy. It was the longest suspension issued by MLB that wasn't a lifetime ban.
He appealed, being the first-ever to appeal a domestic violence policy suspension, and "won" via an arbitrator who reduced his suspension to 194 games. Shortly thereafter, the Dodgers DFA'd Bauer and was officially released on January 12.
It should be noted that one of the women who levied allegations against Bauer was indicted for fraud earlier this year.
He settled out of court with another. Which, of course, settling is not the same as exhoneration.
In total, four women accused him of some kind of sexual assault .
Since then, he played the 2023 season in the Nippon Baseball League in Japan and is currently pitching for Diablos Rojos del Mexico in the Mexican League.
In his tweet, Bauer insinuated that Votto, a 17-year veteran with the Reds, seven-time All-Star, and MVP, was putting in an effort that he didn't agree with in a winning culture. He believed that "losing for 10 straight years sucks the competitor out of you."
This is Joey Votto he is talking about. So take that with a grain (or mountain) of salt.
All in all, as most Twitter users pointed out, if Votto and Suarez have an issue with you, it's probably you that's the problem.
Votto is closing out his Hall of Fame career and Suarez is the starting third baseman for a playoff team. Both are beloved by Reds fans everywhere.
Bauer is pitching in Mexico. If MLB wanted him, even in the minors, he'd have an opportunity.
Seems like sour grapes/trying to be the main character again.
Local Cincinnati, OH
Most Popular
Comments / 0