Cincinnati Reds: Is Trevor Bauer happy enough to re-sign?

Trevor Bauer, the Cincinnati Reds ace, called his 2020 season in Cincinnati the most fun of his career.

Trevor Bauer is one of the best starting pitchers in today’s MLB. Set to hit unrestricted free agency following the final out of the 2020 World Series, Bauer is a valuable target for any team in need of starting pitching. He’s a bigger value for contenders.

The right-hander will surely draw the attention of a long list of suitors, however recent comments revealed his own appreciation of his time with the Cincinnati Reds.

Bauer was recently awarded the National League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher in the player choice awards. He reflected positively on his stint with the Reds.

“I had probably more fun this year playing baseball than I’ve had in, shoot, a long time,” Bauer said. “Probably since college, maybe even more fun than college. That’s really the lasting impression. Being happy, enjoying playing baseball with people that I get along with very well and consider close friends.”

Cincinnati traded a bevy of prospects for Bauer in July of 2019. And despite his positive reflection, Bauer has repeatedly said he wants to play for a contender.

The Reds finished 31-29 and earned the seventh seed in the 2020 expanded postseason. Without an expanded postseason, Cincinnati would have missed the playoffs. While MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has declared his intention to keep the expanded postseason, it’s unclear if this is a real possibility.

Bauer is poised to win the NL Cy Young award. He led the NL with a 1.73 ERA,  5.05 hits per nine innings, and a 0.795 WHIP. The 29-year-old commanded the Reds pitching staff, one of the best in baseball, which led all of baseball in strikeouts.

On the other hand, the Cincinnati Reds offense was dismal, ranking 27th in the league in runs scored. This begs the question, can the Reds be considered contenders next year if the expanded postseason isn’t made permanent?

Trevor Bauer contends that playing for a winner is his biggest priority. However, money and happiness surely play as factors in this decision.