The Indians traded Trevor Bauer to the Reds in a three-team deal two days after the right-hander launched a baseball over the center field fence in frustration when he was pulled from a start against the Royals.
Bauer's time in Cleveland — which produced mixed results on the mound and a few unpredictable, even controversial incidents off it — is over. With Cincinnati, Bauer gets a fresh start and opportunity to perform as a key piece for a franchise that looks ready for contention in 2020.
SIGN UP for a FREE trial of DAZN and watch LIVE baseball games and programming on MLB Network
The Reds offer a chance for Bauer to go from distraction to attraction. It's on Bauer to prove himself with the move, and he can do it.
Bauer is an incredible pitcher — when he's on. He finished sixth in the AL Cy Young voting last season with a 2.21 ERA and 221 Ks in 175.1 innings. He leads the majors in innings pitched this season (156.2), but he also leads in walks (63), hits batsmen (14) and his ERA increased to 3.79.
Those statistics will be remembered less than the viral stories from his time in Cleveland.
— Like the time he cut his hand on a drone ahead of a scheduled ALCS start against Toronto in 2016.
— Or the two mediocre World Series starts against the Cubs that ended in losses.
— Or his unique dating rules he detailed in a Sports Illustrated profile in February.
— Or the allegations of Twitter harassment.
— Or, of course, when Bauer launched the ball over the center field fence in Kansas City, which prompted Indians manager Terry Francona to ask, "What the (expletive) is wrong with you?"
You can debate the levels of Bauer's quirkiness, passion as a player or likability as a teammate all you want — his story about Charlie Sheen showing up at UCLA practice is hilarious — but the latest distraction (which was immature at a minimum) did not help his cause. The Indians' brass had seen enough from a player who openly talked about signing one-year deals in the future with his contract expiring in 2020. That cannot be debated knowing they are three games off the AL Central lead and expect to get ace Corey Kluber back, perhaps in August.
Meanwhile, what the (expletive) is wrong with the Reds?
RIVERA: Grading the Trevor Bauer trade
Cincinnati gave up Yasiel Puig, an emerging fan favorite who didn't leave until he finished one more brawl with the Pirates, and speedy prospect Taylor Trammell, who is off to San Diego, to take on a pitcher who turns 29 next season and will be a free-agent after that.
That's not all. A sizable cross-section of Reds fans knows all about Bauer's comments in a June 21 profile with The New York Times.
"I would love to see vintage Pete Rose in today's game," Bauer said in the article. "He would get absolutely annihilated."
The Great American Ball Park is adjacent to Pete Rose Way. Rose's statue sits in front of the stadium. That will at least take a cursory smoothing over with the fan base that still yearns for the return of the Big Red Machine. When it comes to Rose, they remember everything.
The best thing Bauer can do now is contribute to a franchise that's trending upward. He will be part of a rotation that features All-Star Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray, and the fact that Cincinnati moved Puig, who also was viewed as a risk when he signed but eliminated those concerns with 22 home runs this season, shows confidence within the organization. Bauer could be a piece that helps the Reds make a last-ditch run at a wild card spot this season or a one-and-a-half-year-rental that simply waits for the next payday.
He needs to make the best of it either way. There's room for Bauer's personality in Cincinnati. After all, former Reds reliever, fan favorite and World Series champion Rob Dibble once threw a baseball into the stands in frustration and hit a school teacher in 1991. Dibble remains a "Nasty Boys" cult hero with Reds fans today, even though his time ended in Cincinnati after 1993.
Can Bauer become that kind of fan favorite? Maybe, but it will start — and should stay — on the mound. Bauer has a good sample against the National League; he's 12-5 with a 2.54 ERA and 187 Ks in 177.1 innings for his career in interleague play. If the Reds get that kind of pitcher, then this gamble will pay off.
