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Outrights: William Woods, Ali Sanchez, Taylor Widener, Jake Reed

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William Woods, Ali Sanchez, Taylor Widener and Jake Reed have all cleared waivers and been outrighted off the 40-man roster of their respective teams, according to the MILB transaction page. All four had been designated for assignment.

The Mets had claimed Woods, 24, off waivers from the Braves in November, but needed the 40-man roster spot to announce the signing of Adam Ottavino last month. Woods pitched two scoreless innings for Atlanta last year, his only taste of big league action. He owns a fastball that has reached triple-digits, but struggled in the minor leagues last year, working to a 6.04 ERA over 25 1/3 innings at various levels. While he hasn’t found a ton of success in recent times, the Braves did see enough in him to add him to their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, so the Mets will now get to keep hold of an intriguing young relief arm at Triple-A Syracuse.

Widener, 28, was designated for assignment after the Diamondbacks acquired Diego Castillo from the Pirates. Over the past three years in Arizona, he’s made 13 starts and 36 relief appearances. As a starter he owns a 4.28 ERA over 61 innings, while he’s worked to a 4.24 ERA over 46 2/3 innings of relief work. That has come with a 22.3% strikeout rate and an 11% walk rate. Given his solid big league numbers and two option years remaining it certainly won’t hurt Arizona to stash an arm like that at Triple-A Reno as a depth piece this season.

The Dodgers DFA’d Reed, 30, to make room on the 40-man roster for new signing J.D. Martinez. Reed is no stranger to DFA limbo, and this was the fifth time he’d been exposed to waivers in 2022 alone. Reed, a right-handed reliever, made appearances for the Dodgers, Orioles and Mets in 2022, working to a combined 7.36 ERA over 11 innings. At Triple-A, he worked to a much more encouraging 3.09 ERA over 23 1/3 relief innings. After being claimed four times in 2022, he’s passed through waivers this time and the Dodgers have now outrighted him to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Diamondbacks claimed Sanchez, 25, off waivers from the Pirates last month, but DFA’d him a few weeks later to make room on the 40-man roster after the trade for Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Sanchez didn’t make it to the big leagues in 2022, instead appearing at Triple-A for the Tigers and Cardinals. The right-handed hitting catcher tallied 291 plate appearances over 74 games, posting a .262/.354/.389 line with six home runs. He did get a brief cup of coffee in the majors over 2020-21, appearing in seven games for the Mets and Cardinals and picking up three hits. He’s now been outrighted to Triple-A Reno where he’ll provide some catching depth in the upper minors for the Diamondbacks.

Braves Sign Yacksel Rios To Minor League Deal

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The Braves have added right-hander Yacksel Rios on a minor league deal, according to his agent Gavin Kahn of Enter Sports Management. The deal includes an invite to big league spring training.

Rios, 29, spent the past year at Triple-A with the White Sox, but failed to make a big league appearance. At the top level of the minors he tossed 33 innings of 4.91 ERA ball, combining a 24.2% strikeout clip to an 18.4% walk rate.

Originally drafted in the 12the round in 2011 by the Phillies, Rios made his big league debut in 2017 and has seen a decent amount of time in the majors since, appearing in games for the Phillies, Pirates, Mariners and Red Sox. Over that time he’s compiled a 5.77 ERA over 96 2/3 innings. The control issues that plagued him in 2022 have generally been an issue throughout his career, and his 11.5% walk rate in the bigs is well above the league average of 8.6%. He’s generally fared better in the strikeout department, owning a career 21% punch-out clip, just a tick below the league average.

Rios throws a 97mph fastball, and combines that with a slider and splitter. He’ll join the Braves and provide them with a bit of relief pitching depth heading into the new season.

Reports: Mets “Frustrated” By Correa Negotiations; Twins Have Rejoined Bidding

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With the 12-year agreement between the Mets and Carlos Correa still in limbo, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports that the Twins have not only jumped back into the mix for Correa but have emerged as a legitimate candidate to re-sign him (Twitter link, with audio, via MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM). SNY’s Andy Martino, meanwhile, writes that the Mets have grown “very frustrated” with the state of negotiations and have even contemplated walking away from the deal. Talks between the Mets and Correa aren’t dead, Martino emphasizes, but it’s nevertheless a pessimistic turn in what has become a wild, unparalleled free-agent saga for Correa.

The latest wave of drama comes on the heels of an evening report from the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, which indicated Correa and agent Scott Boras had engaged at least one other team as recently as yesterday afternoon. Heyman, too, noted that Minnesota had been in touch with Correa’s camp in recent weeks.

The Twins and Correa have “some momentum,” per Bowden, who adds that Minnesota appears more willing to take on some risk regarding Correa’s medicals than either the Giants or the Mets. The Twins’ most recent offer to Correa was a reported 10-year, $285MM pact, though that came before the Giants blew them out of the water with a 13-year, $350MM bid. It’s unclear whether Minnesota has made any alterations to that offer.

That Giants agreement feels like ancient history, as San Francisco canceled Correa’s introductory press conference after his physical gave the team some trepidation. There’s no indication that the Giants entirely halted their efforts to sign Correa, but while they were determining their next steps, the Mets swooped in and agreed to terms with Correa on a 12-year, $315MM pact. Shortly thereafter, however, the Mets raised their own concerns regarding Correa’s physical. That was nearly two weeks ago. A deal has not yet been finalized.

At issue for both the Giants and the Mets appears to be a nearly decade-old leg injury and corresponding concerns over how that may impact the All-Star infielder down the road. Back in 2014, while playing in the Astros’ minor league system, a then-19-year-old Correa suffered a fractured fibula while sliding into third base. The injury required surgery, and a metal plate was inserted into Correa’s leg.

The exact concern regarding the long-term stability of Correa’s leg isn’t clear, but both the Giants and Mets have at least been concerned enough to pump the brakes on their reported agreements. The Mets have reportedly discussed adding a clause that would alter the terms of the deal in the event of a serious leg injury to Correa. It’s not known whether they’ve also sought to reduce either the length or total guarantee of the agreement.

Correa, of course, spent the 2022 season in Minnesota, where he slashed .291/.366/.467 over 590 plate appearances. That came under the terms of a three-year, $105.1MM contract between the two parties that was struck last March, but Correa triggered the first of two opt-out clauses in the contract following the season, in hopes of securing the long-term deal that eluded him in his last trip through free agency.

While it’s easy to assume the Twins have a full grasp of Correa’s medical situation themselves, The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported in late December that the team did not conduct an extensive examination of Correa during the course of the season. That’s to be expected, but it’s particularly noteworthy given that Correa had a late-September injury scare with the leg in question, wherein he remained down on the field for several moments after being thrown out on a slide into second base. Correa limped off the field, and although he remained in the game, he acknowledged after the contest that he had briefly felt numbness and vibration in that surgically repaired leg.

That incident occurred on Sept. 20, and Correa did not miss any time in the subsequent, final weeks of the season. If there were any lingering issues, they weren’t made apparent through his performance on the field. Correa batted .346/.393/.481 with a homer and four doubles in 56 plate appearances from Sept. 20 through season’s end.

Details On Justin Turner’s Red Sox Contract

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The Red Sox finalized their contract with veteran infielder Justin Turner this afternoon. Initial reports on the deal, which was agreed upon in December, were a bit variable.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post specified the details this afternoon (on Twitter). It’s officially a two-year, $21.7MM guarantee that comes with an average annual value of $10.85MM. The deal also contains up to $1MM in incentives that’d max out if he reaches 560 plate appearances. As previously reported, Turner will have the opportunity to opt out after the 2023 campaign.

The Vayner Sports client will make an $8.3MM salary this year. At season’s end, he’ll have to decide on either a $13.4MM player option or a $6.7MM buyout to head back to free agency. That lofty buyout means Turner would collect $15MM for one season if he opts out, and he’d only have to top $6.7MM on the open market to come out ahead financially. Matching or topping the .278/.350/.438 line he posted through 532 plate appearances during his final season with the Dodgers should allow him to fairly easily beat that figure.

The two-time All-Star spent nine seasons in Southern California after his first few years as a role player with the Orioles and Mets. He took to Twitter this evening to thank the Dodgers organization and its fans after officially putting pen to paper with Boston.

With Rafael Devers and Triston Casas set to man the corner infield, Turner seems likely to spend a decent amount of time at designated hitter in 2023. He’ll be replacing J.D. Martinez, who coincidentally landed in Los Angeles on a one-year free agent deal.

MLBTR Poll: American League West Favorite

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The Astros have won the division title in the American League West in each of the past five full seasons. They also reached the ALCS in each of those years, along with the shortened 2020 campaign. There hoisted the World Series trophy twice in that time, including just a few months ago. However, their rivals have been aggressive in trying to load up to chase them in 2023 and it now seems like four out of the five clubs seem like legitimate contenders.

There’s still over a month until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, meaning there’s still time for some aggressive transactions that will further change the calculus. But much of the heavy lifting of the offseason appears to be done. Most of the top free agents are off the board, with guys like Jurickson Profar, Michael Wacha and Andrew Chafin the top remaining options. Those are fine players that could certainly help a team but they wouldn’t be franchise-altering additions. There’s also the trade market, which could theoretically see Bryan Reynolds on the move. The Rangers are reportedly interested in him, but so are many other teams and the Pirates have continued to hold firm to an asking price that seems to be quite high.

Whether there are significant moves still to come or not, let’s look at where the clubs stand now, starting with the reigning champs.

Houston Astros – 2022 record: 106-56, projected 2023 fWAR: 48.2

There’s not much doubt about the Astros at this point. As mentioned, they’re enjoying an incredible run of success. Going into the winter, they lost some significant players to free agency, the most notable of which was Justin Verlander. The club hasn’t done anything to supplant him thus far, which is a defendable but risky move. The rotation has plenty of solid options without Verlander, with Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, José Urquidy and Hunter Brown on the roster. However, Verlander is the reigning Cy Young winner after tossing 175 innings with a 1.75 ERA last year. Subtracting that kind of performance would have an impact on any club.

On the position player side, they lost Christian Vázquez, Jason Castro, Trey Mancini, Yuli Gurriel, Michael Brantley and Aledmys Díaz to free agency. They’ve since re-signed Brantley and added José Abreu. Overall, the team is still going to be good, but is it enough to hold off the others? FanGraphs certainly thinks so, giving them the highest projected wins above replacement on their depth charts, but there are three clubs within striking distance.

Seattle Mariners – 2022 record: 90-72, projected 2023 fWAR: 43.5

The Mariners finally broke through in 2022, earning a Wild Card spot and reaching the postseason for the first time since 2001. That snapped the longest active postseason drought in the majors, a dishonor that now falls to the Tigers and Angels, who each last qualified for the playoffs in 2014.

This offseason, they have been fairly quiet in terms of free agency, with reliever Trevor Gott marking their only signing so far. They have made some notable trades, however, as is their wont. They acquired slugging outfielder Teoscar Hernández from the Blue Jays, sending reliever Erik Swanson and prospect Adam Macko the other way. They also acquired Kolten Wong from the Brewers, sending Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro to Milwaukee. Hernández and Wong will essentially replace two of the club’s most significant free agent departures in Mitch Haniger and Adam Frazier.

The Hernández/Wong pairing could certainly act as an upgrade over Haniger/Frazier, but probably not a huge one. If the club is going to catch the Astros, it will likely have to come from gains made by players already on the roster. Having a full season of Luis Castillo, whom they acquired at the deadline last year, will certainly help. Julio Rodríguez had an incredible rookie season at the age of 21 but could perhaps be even better this year. A breakout from struggling young outfielder Jarred Kelenic would be a tremendous boost. Continued development from young pitchers like George Kirby and Matt Brash would also help.

Los Angeles Angels – 2022 record: 73-89, projected 2023 fWAR: 40.4

The Angels have continued to disappoint despite having two of the best players on the planet on their roster. That was the case again in 2022, as Mike Trout was limited by injury to just 119 games but still produced 6.0 fWAR while Shohei Ohtani produced 3.8 fWAR at the plate and 5.6 on the mound. Still, the club fell out of contention in the summer and never really made it back.

Despite years of falling short of expectations, there are reasons to think 2023 could actually be the year they deliver. They didn’t lose any key contributors to free agency, with players like Michael Lorenzen and Matt Duffy marking some of the most notable departures. They’ve also patched some of the holes that have caused their ship to sink in past years, as a lack of adequate depth has continually wasted the star performances at the top of the roster.

Starting pitching has long been a struggle for the club but the rotation seems like it could be in the best shape in years. 2022 saw encouraging developments from Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and José Suarez, all of whom are slated to return to the club this year. The Halos also supplemented that group by signing Tyler Anderson away from the Dodgers. That gives them a solid front five with Tucker Davidson, Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth on hand as depth options. On the position player side, they’ve added Hunter Renfroe, Brandon Drury and Gio Urshela. Those aren’t stars, but the Angels already had stars. They needed adequate role players to supplement their stars and seem to have added some solid options.

Texas Rangers – 2022 record: 68-94, projected 2023 fWAR: 41.9

Of the four plausible competitors in the division, the Rangers will need the biggest turnaround, since 2022 was rough. Turning a 68-win team into a contender in one offseason is no easy feat. But they already did most of the heavy lifting on the position player side last winter, adding Corey Seager and Marcus Semien on mega deals just prior to the lockout.

The big task of this winter would be upgrading the pitching staff and they have completely overhauled it. They re-signed Martín Pérez while signing Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and trading for Jake Odorizzi. Those five, along with incumbents Jon Gray and Dane Dunning, put the club in a much better position going forward. There are injury concerns scattered throughout that crew, but it’s miles beyond the staff they had last year.

Oakland Athletics – 2022 record: 60-102, projected 2023 fWAR: 29.3

Since the lockout ended in March, the A’s have leaned hard into a rebuild. In just the past ten months, they have traded away Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Frankie Montas and Sean Murphy. They lost 102 games last year and should be lined up for another rebuild/evaluation season. They’ve made marginal adds by signing Aledmys Díaz, Jace Peterson, Drew Rucinski and Trevor May, but the expectation of just about everyone is that they will be in the basement yet again this year.

______________________

The Astros will likely go into the season as the favorite, since they are the reigning World Series champs and have made a few solid moves this offseason. But there are plenty of reasons to think it could be an interesting battle all season long. The Mariners, Rangers and Angels have all made interesting moves this winter and are all within 8 WAR of the Astros according to the projections of FanGraphs. Is this the year the Astros get dethroned?

What do you think? Who will be best in the West in 2023? Have your say in the poll below.

(poll link for app users)

Bill Campbell Passes Away

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Longtime major league reliever Bill Campbell passed away today after a battle with cancer, according to multiple reports. He was 74 years old.

A native of Highland Park, Michigan, Campbell began his professional baseball career with the Twins after a military stint in Vietnam. The war delayed his entry into pro ball until he was 22 years old, but the 6’3″ righty reached the majors within two seasons. A starting pitcher in the minors, Campbell broke into the big leagues as a reliever with Minnesota during the 1973 season. He threw 51 2/3 innings through 28 appearances as a rookie, posting a 3.14 ERA.

That kicked off a stretch in which Campbell was one of the sport’s better late-game weapons. Part of an era in which there were a number of multi-inning “fireman” relievers, Campbell served as a bullpen workhorse. He topped 120 frames in each season from 1974-76, allowing fewer than four earned runs per nine innings in all three years. During the ’76 campaign, Campbell led all big leaguers with 68 games finished and put up a 3.01 ERA over 167 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.

For his efforts, Campbell earned a seventh-place finish in AL Cy Young balloting and an eighth-place tally in MVP voting. That marked an excellent platform showing before he qualified for free agency. He signed with the Red Sox that offseason and had another great year during his first season in Boston. Campbell put up a 2.96 ERA across 140 innings, pacing the American League with 31 saves. He earned an All-Star nod and finished fifth in Cy Young voting and 10th in MVP balloting.

That was Campbell’s last elite season, as he was limited to fewer than 55 innings in each of the next four years with Boston. Campbell signed with the Cubs upon qualifying for free agency during the 1981-82 offseason. He’d top 100 frames again in his two seasons in Chicago, posting a 3.69 ERA during his first year. The Cubs traded him to the Phillies, where he pitched to a 3.43 ERA through 81 1/3 innings in 1984. He’d change teams each year for the rest of his career, following up with successive one-year stops as a Cardinal, Tiger and Expo. The ’85 campaign afforded Campbell his only opportunity to pitch in the postseason, as he tossed 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for the National League champions.

Campbell appeared in all 15 major league seasons from 1973-87. He played for seven different clubs, particularly thriving during his early work with the Twins and Red Sox. Campbell was named the American League’s reliever of the year in both seasons in which he secured Cy Young and MVP votes. At career’s end, he owned a 3.54 ERA in 1229 1/3 innings over exactly 700 big league appearances. Campbell struck out 864 hitters, won 83 games and finished off 455 outings with 126 saves.

After his playing career concluded, Campbell had coaching stints in the Brewers and Red Sox organizations. MLBTR sends our condolences to Campbell’s family, friends, loved ones and former teammates.

Cubs Release Alfonso Rivas, Outright P.J. Higgins

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A pair of players recently designated for assignment by the Cubs have gone unclaimed on waivers. The team informed reporters (including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune) that first baseman Alfonso Rivas and catcher P.J. Higgins each cleared.

Rivas had been placed on unconditional release waivers. He’s now officially a free agent. Designated for assignment on December 23 when the Cubs claimed Anthony Kay off waivers, Rivas will now head out in search of new opportunities. He spent three years with Chicago after being acquired from the A’s for Tony Kemp heading into the 2020 campaign. The left-handed hitter split the past two seasons between Chicago and Triple-A Iowa. He spent the majority of the 2021 season in Iowa, hitting .284/.405/.411 through 237 trips to the plate.

That earned the University of Arizona product an 18-game MLB look later that season. Rivas hit well in that brief audition but only managed .235/.322/.307 line with three home runs over 287 plate appearances last season. He walked at a robust 10.1% clip but didn’t hit for much power and struck out in more than 30% of his trips to the plate. Defensive Runs Saved credited Rivas with plus glovework at first base, but he doesn’t offer much defensive flexibility.

Higgins was placed on outright waivers and has initially been assigned to Iowa. It’s the second outright of his career, though, giving him the right to refuse the assignment and test minor league free agency. The Cubs haven’t announced whether he’ll do so.

A product of Old Dominion, Higgins has appeared in the majors in each of the last two seasons. He only logged brief time in 2021 before suffering an injury that required Tommy John surgery. Higgins returned to the organization last year and appeared in almost half the team’s games. He hit .229/.310/.383 in 229 trips to the plate, decent production for a catcher. The 29-year-old didn’t rate well behind the plate in the eyes of public metrics, though. Those defensive concerns squeezed him off the roster when the Cubs signed Tucker Barnhart to share time with Yan Gomes and apparently dissuaded the remainder of the league from putting in a waiver claim.

Phillies, Jon Duplantier Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Phillies are in agreement with righty Jon Duplantier on a minor league contract, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (Twitter link). He’ll receive an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Duplantier, 28, will look to get back to the majors after a year in Triple-A. He spent the entire 2022 campaign with the Dodgers’ top affiliate in Oklahoma City. The former third-round pick started 14 of his 34 appearances, working 93 2/3 innings altogether. He posted a 4.80 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Duplantier struck out a solid 25.5% of his opponents but only induced grounders on a little more than 30% of balls in play. Perhaps most concerning, he walked 13.3% of batters faced, the continuation of control issues he’s battled throughout his career.

The Rice University product has pitched in the majors in parts of two campaigns. A highly-regarded prospect during his time in the Diamondbacks farm system, he pitched with Arizona in both 2019 and ’21. Duplantier started seven of 19 outings, working to a 6.70 ERA through 49 2/3 MLB frames. He managed a better 45.7% grounder rate in that time but had a below-average 19.7% strikeout percentage and an 11.2% walk rate.

Duplantier adds some swing depth to the upper levels of the Philadelphia organization. He can serve as injury insurance for the rotation or as a multi-inning reliever. Duplantier has exhausted his minor league option years, however. If Philadelphia adds him to the big league roster at any point, he’d have to stick in the majors or be made available to other clubs via trade or waivers.

Padres Sign Adam Engel To Major League Deal

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The Padres announced they’ve signed outfielder Adam Engel to a one-year, major league contract. The additions of Engel and righty Brent Honeywell bring San Diego’s 40-man roster to full capacity. Engel is a client of Icon Sports Management.

Engel hit the open market at the end of the 2022 season. The White Sox non-tendered him rather than bring him back via arbitration on a contract projected around $2.3MM. That ended a near decade-long run in the Chicago organization, which had selected Engel in the 18th round of the 2013 draft.

The University of Louisville product more than made good on that modest draft status. He’d play parts of six big league campaigns for the ChiSox, mostly in a reserve capacity. Engel played in the majors each season from 2017-22, with his speed and defensive acumen getting him consistent opportunities even as his production at the plate was inconsistent.

In just over 1500 MLB plate appearances, Engel is a .225/.280/.350 career hitter. He posted well below-average offensive numbers for his first three campaigns but put up quality marks in limited action between 2020-21. The shortened schedule in the former season and a pair of injured list stints in the latter kept him to 233 plate appearances over that two-year stretch. Engel hit .270/.335/.488 in that limited look, connecting on 10 home runs and 14 doubles.

That led to some optimism he might have taken a step forward with the bat. Engel didn’t sustain those gains in 2022, however. He hit .224/.269/.310 through 260 trips to the plate last season. Engel managed just two homers with a modest 4.2% walk percentage and an elevated 29.2% strikeout rate. On the heels of that rough showing, the White Sox moved on despite a generally shallow outfield.

The Padres will nevertheless bring him aboard as a defensive option off the bench. The 31-year-old has played nearly 3700 outfield innings as a big leaguer, with the vast majority of that work coming in center field. Public metrics like Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast’s Outs Above Average consistently peg him as a plus with the glove. DRS has credited Engel as 21 runs above average for his career, including three runs above par through 649 2/3 innings last season. Statcast has been even more bullish, rating him at +47 runs overall and +3 runs last year.

He’s also a quality baserunner, as the excellent speed that has made such a gifted outfielder plays on the bases. He’s stolen 47 bases in 64 career attempts, including a solid 12-16 success rate last year. His right-handed bat offers manager Bob Melvin a chance to shield incumbent center fielder Trent Grisham from tough southpaws on occasion, although neither Engel nor Grisham have shown marked platoon splits over the course of their careers.

Engel has over five years of major league service, meaning he’ll head back to free agency next offseason. That body of work also gives him the right to refuse any outright or optional assignments to the minor leagues. That suggests he has a strong chance of breaking camp with the Friars in a fourth/fifth outfield capacity.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Dodgers Designate Trevor Bauer For Assignment

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The Dodgers have cut ties with Trevor Bauer. Los Angeles announced this evening he will no longer be part of the organization, shortly after Jeff Passan of ESPN reported (Twitter link) he was being designated for assignment.

“The Dodgers organization believes that allegations of sexual assault or domestic violence should be thoroughly investigated, with due process given to the accused,” the organization said in a statement. “From the beginning, we have cooperated fully with Major League Baseball’s investigation and strictly followed the process stipulated under MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy. Two extensive reviews of all the available evidence in this case — one by Commissioner Manfred and another by a neutral arbitrator — concluded that Mr. Bauer’s actions warranted the longest ever active player suspension in our sport for violations of this policy. Now that this process has been completed, and after careful consideration, we have decided that he will no longer be part of our organization.”

Bauer released his own statement this evening, stating that Dodgers brass had suggested as recently as yesterday he’d remain on the team (relayed by Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times). “While we were unable to communicate throughout the administrative leave and arbitration process, my representatives spoke to Dodgers leadership immediately following the arbitration decision. Following two weeks of conversations around my return to the organization, I sat down with Dodgers leadership in Arizona yesterday who told me they wanted me to return and pitch for the team this year. While I am disappointed by the organization’s decision today, I appreciate the wealth of support I’ve received from the Dodgers clubhouse. I wish the players all the best and look forward to competing elsewhere.”

Bauer joined Los Angeles over the 2020-21 offseason on the heels of winning the NL Cy Young award with the Reds. He signed a three-year, $102MM guarantee that afforded him chances to opt out of the deal after each of the first two seasons. Bauer made 17 starts with a 2.59 ERA in his first season in L.A. before reports emerged that a California woman had filed for a restraining order and accused him of assaulting her during sex. He was promptly placed on paid administrative leave while the legal process played out, and he spent the remainder of the 2021 season on administrative leave by mutual agreement of MLB and the Players Association. Two Ohio women subsequently came forth with allegations that Bauer had assaulted them in prior years.

A judge denied the California woman’s request for a long-term restraining order in August 2021, finding he did not pose an ongoing threat to her safety. Bauer never faced criminal charges, with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declining to proceed with a criminal action after their investigation. “After a thorough review of the available evidence, including the civil restraining order proceedings, witness statements and the physical evidence, the People are unable to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt,” the DA’s office said at the time.

Attention then turned to Major League Baseball’s investigation. Even in the absence of criminal charges, MLB is permitted to impose discipline if its investigation finds a player violated the joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy. The league did so last April, imposing a 324-game ban that went into effect from the date of the suspension. That would have kept Bauer out for the entire 2022-23 seasons (and a few weeks in 2024); Bauer immediately appealed, becoming the first player to appeal a suspension levied under the domestic violence policy.

The appellate process played out over the following eight months. As per the terms of the policy, the arbitration panel consisted of three individuals — one of whom was selected by the league, one selected by the Players Association, and one independent arbitrator approved by both parties. Two weeks ago, the panel announced its determination. The appellate group reduced Bauer’s suspension to 194 games, which had already been served. He was decreed immediately eligible for reinstatement. The Dodgers were given until tonight to reactivate him on their roster or cut him loose.

As the Dodgers mentioned in their statement, the panel found that Bauer had violated the Domestic Violence policy. His suspension was reduced but not overturned, and even the reduced suspension was the longest handed out to any player since the policy was introduced in August 2015. While the panel determined Bauer violated the policy, it judged MLB’s initial two-year ban to be excessive.

Suspensions under the domestic violence policy are unpaid. Bauer did not collect any salary between the date of his suspension and the end of the 2022 season. The panel also stripped him of his salary for the first 50 games of the 2023 season — a retroactive loss of salary for money he did collect while on paid administrative leave between 2021 and April ’22. After the first 50 games of the season are up, Bauer will be entitled to his remaining salary.

Bauer had been set to make $32MM this year, the final season of his contract. After accounting for the forfeited salary, he’ll be due around $22.5MM. Even with the Dodgers officially moving on, they’ll be on the hook for that money. Los Angeles’ projected payroll sits around $217MM, as calculated by Roster Resource. More meaningfully, that expenditure brings the Dodgers estimated luxury tax number within a rounding error of the base $233MM CBT threshold. Multiple reports in recent months have suggested the Dodgers would like to dip below the tax threshold this year, thereby resetting their tax bracket after two consecutive seasons of overages. Doing so at this point would require finding a way to shed salary and/or not taking on any notable additional expenditures this offseason or at the trade deadline.

As with any player designated for assignment, there’s now a seven-day window for the Dodgers to trade Bauer or place him on waivers. Bob Nightengale of USA Today unsurprisingly tweets the Dodgers didn’t find any trade interest over the past two weeks. The extremely likely outcome is the 31-year-old will be placed on release waivers between now and next Thursday. Any team claiming him would have to take on his lofty salary; that surely won’t happen, and Bauer will become a free agent if/when he officially clears waivers.

At that point, his camp can look for opportunities elsewhere. Any team that signs Bauer after he clears waivers would only be responsible for the $720K league minimum salary, with the Dodgers still on the hook for the rest of the deal. Whether any other team is willing to carry him on their roster remains to be seen.

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