Mets still in on free agent Trevor Bauer
The Mets continue to be engaged on free agent pitcher Trevor Bauer, according to league sources. An agreement is not close, and there are other clubs involved.
Over the weekend, several outlets raised Bauer’s past conduct on social media as a concern for the Mets after GM Jared Porter was fired for misconduct. Obviously, the Mets are aware of this and are vetting all aspects of Bauer’s on and off field performance, as any team would for any significant expenditure.
Their interest in Bauer, which is very much alive as the week begins, represents a potentially dramatic reversal of their previous offseason plans to pass on the Cy Young winner and remain under the $210 million luxury tax threshold.
Now there are two ways they could travel for the rest of the offseason: 1) Sign Bauer and brace for mixed reaction from the public. This would involve trading a player off the roster, likely Steven Matz. 2) Pass on Bauer and sign a starting center fielder and more pitching.
The team is remaining in on Bauer while still weighing the other course of action and pursuing depth options.