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3 high-profile signings Yankees need to avoid this offseason

By Thomas Carannante

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 30: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Cincinnati Reds warms up prior to Game One of the National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 30, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 30: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Cincinnati Reds warms up prior to Game One of the National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 30, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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Starting pitcher Trevor Bauer #27 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

1. Trevor Bauer

Dream on, Yankees fans. Trevor Bauer to the Yankees is not a thing.

Trevor Bauer is the antithesis of the New York Yankees. He’s excessively outspoken. He has a massive ego. He melts down under pressure. He makes silly decisions (drone incident, throwing ball over center field wall in Kansas City). He’s overly active on social media. He brings the attention you don’t want to your team.

Am I fine with that? Honestly, yeah, I don’t really care. I like when players are themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin. It’s admirable, if we’re being honest.

But if we’re talking investment and fit, Bauer is not the guy for the Yankees. They already paid $324 million for Gerrit Cole, who was apparently at odds with Bauer during their time at UCLA together. Why even think about rehashing that drama in any capacity when you already have your ace for the next decade?

On top of that — if we’re going by MLBTR’s contract projections — why would the Yankees pay $128 million in the four-year range for a guy who’s really only put together around 60 impressive starts out of the 205 games he’s pitched? His 2018 All-Star season (12-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 28 games), two-thirds of his 2019 season (9-8 with a 3.79 ERA in 24 starts), and his abbreviated 2020 campaign (1.73 ERA in 11 starts) are really all Bauer has to bring to the negotiating table. Outside of that, he’s sported ERAs of 4.18, 4.55, 4.26 and 4.19 across full seasons of work. And if we throw in his 10 awful starts with the Reds after the 2019 trade, then that 3.79 ERA we just mentioned actually balloons to a 4.48.

The Yankees do desperately need a No. 2 starter, but Bauer, who will be entering his age-30 season in 2020, has hardly proven to be that across his nine-year career. Does he have the potential to be that? Without question. But the Yankees aren’t paying for something that might pan out. They need a sure thing.

And Bauer is yet another high-profile target that is very much not that.

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