Trevor Bauer could reunite with Mike Clevinger in San Diego
By John Buhler
Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger could be MLB teammates once again.
Trevor Bauer could become Mike Clevinger‘s teammate again with the San Diego Padres.
It was not all that long ago that Bauer and Clevinger were teammates on the Cleveland Indians. Then, at the 2019 MLB trade deadline, Bauer was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds where he would play out of the final year and change of his contract. As fate would have it, Clevinger was dealt at the 2020 deadline to the Padres. With Bauer entering free agency, maybe a reunion is eminent?
Speaking of Bauer, an early suitor that I'm told is emerging is a fun one: the San Diego Padres. Bauer and Clevinger are good friends stemming from their Cleveland days which can only help https://t.co/HTI8GZTywN
— Dan Federico (@DanJFederico) November 9, 2020
How good would the Padres be with Bauer and Clevinger in their rotation?
The Padres made their first postseason appearance in 14 years in 2020. They were the No. 4 seed in the NL postseason, finishing in second place in the NL West standings to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego defeated the 5-seeded St. Louis Cardinals in their best-of-three NL Wild Card series before falling to the Dodgers in the NLDS a round later.
Ultimately, the Padres’ competitive life cycle is wide open. Even though the Dodgers may win the NL pennant again, the Padres are on a short list of teams in the Senior Circuit who get to the World Series, along with the Atlanta Braves. The lineup is formidable, built around its two stars on the left side of the infield in third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.
What will aid the Padres on their quest to stay in the mix for October baseball is rounding out their rotation. Clevinger will be joined by Dinelson Lamet and Zach Davies who had strong 2020 seasons, along with Chris Paddack, who was the worst starter on the San Diego staff. With Garrett Richards hitting free agency as well, there is a spot available for Bauer to join the Padres’ rotation.
Bauer and Clevinger would obviously headline it. Lamet would make a very strong No. 3 with Davies and Paddack rounding out the five. Should San Diego have the necessary frontline pitching, the Padres can beat anybody and would be in the mix to win the National League and possibly the whole shebang. However, it all comes down to dollars and cents for Bauer’s services this offseason.
MLB got it right with AL and NL ROTY winners. dark. Next
Because this is baseball and we know how baseball free agency goes, a player’s services go to the highest bidder more than in any other sport. It is the precedent that has been set. It is strongly encouraged by the MLBPA to get as much cash as possible in every contract negation. Hometown discounts or forming a super-team are tactics reserved for mostly the NFL and the NBA.
Padres fans can dream about a great starting rotation with Bauer and Clevinger headlining it.