The Dodgers Paid Trevor Bauer $38 Million For 17 Starts in 2021

Trevor Bauer's season is over, as Major League Baseball extended his administrative leave through the end of the season, including the playoffs. He won't pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers again in 2021as MLB continues the investigation into allegations of sexual assault levied against him. He's still being paid a ton of money despite not playing.

Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million deal with the Dodgers before the season. He was set to make a base salary of $28 million in 2021, plus an additional $10 million signing bonus. That's $38 million for the first year of the deal. He wound up making 17 starts.

Yes, Bauer finished his first year with the Dodgers going 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA, a WHIP of 1.00 and 137 strikeouts in 107.2 innings. In the end, he was paid $2.235 million per start.

Bauer's representatives tried to put a brave face on things by issuing the following statement:

""Today Mr. Bauer agreed to extend his administrative leave through the playoffs in a measure of good faith and in an effort to minimize any distraction to the Dodgers organization and his teammates. He continues to cooperate with the MLB investigation and refute the baseless allegations against him.""

Frankly at this point, the Dodgers have to be praying Bauer opts-out of his contract for 2022, which would only cost the franchise $2 million. That would essentially convert his contract into a one-year, $40 million pact. If he opts in, he's owed $32 million in 2022. And if he further opts in for 2023, it's another $32 million. So, in essence, the Dodgers are on the hook for two more years and $64 million for a player they don't seem to want back.

This could wind up being one of the worst contracts in baseball history. And it's not like the Dodgers had no reason to worry about Bauer's personality. They ignored his repeated harassment of women online and signed him anyway. So it's hard to sympathize with the organization for the mess it currently finds itself in.