Mookie Betts Offers Ringing Endorsement of Former Dodgers Teammate Trevor Bauer
Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts was out in full force at Chase Field for Game 3 of the World Series. He spent some time around the batting cage with Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll and took time both as and with reporters before the game.
In a report from Bill Shaikin and the Los Angeles Times, Betts was asked his thoughts about former teammate Trevor Bauer. Betts praised Bauer and said he hopes MLB teams will consider signing him this offseason.
“My experience with Bauer is not anything remotely close to what everyone else’s experience is. I love him. I think he’s an awesome guy. The personal things? I have no control. I have no say. Obviously, nothing ever came from it.
“He’s an awesome pitcher. He’s a great guy, somebody who wants to take the mound every fifth day. But, at the end of the day, I don’t make the decision. That’s a decision that’s not as simple as baseball.”
The Dodgers released Bauer in January after serving a 194-game suspension for violating the league's domestic violence policy following allegations of sexual assault. Bauer has denied all accusations and recently settled a dispute with the accuser.
The 32-year-old spent the 2023 season pitching in Japan for the Yokohama DeNa BayStars where he was one of the league's better starting pitchers, when healthy. After a season pitching in the Japanese professional league, Bauer has made it known that he would like to return to the States for the 2024 season.
It's certainly an expected hot take from Betts who plays for a team that almost exclusively tries to steer clear of controversy, even if they often find themselves at the center of it.
Last winter as Bauer's suspension was reduced down to those 194 games, conflicting reports surfaced online about the pitcher's standing in the Dodger clubhouse. Publically, the team and players have mostly stayed silent on the situation. Betts is the first Dodger player to openly discuss Bauer since the team released him. At the time, a statement was shared by the organization, but not much else was publically said.
The team refuted claims of being open to welcoming the right-hander back and the two parted ways from that point forward.
Bauer made 17 starts for the Dodgers after signing a three-year deal in February 2021. He went 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA over 107.2 innings.
