The last ball Trevor Bauer threw during a game with the Indians was over the center field fence — the eccentric right-hander has been dealt 250 miles southwest to Cincinnati as part of a three-team deal.
Though Bauer, the sixth-place finisher in the AL Cy Young last year, could certainly have helped the Indians catch the Twins down the stretch, Cleveland has decided to part ways with him.
In return, they've acquired two powerful outfield bats, in addition to a young left-handed pitcher.
What we know about monster Indians-Reds-Padres three-way trade, per sources:
Cincinnati gets: RHP Trevor Bauer
Cleveland gets: OF Franmil Reyes, LHP Logan Allen, OF Yasiel Puig, 3B Victor Nova (per @AJCassavell)
San Diego gets: OF Taylor Trammell
LHP Scott Moss also involved.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2019
Bauer has taken a step back this year after posting career bests in several key statistical categories in 2018:
- 2018: 2.21 ERA, 11.34 K/9, 2.93 BB/9, 0.46 HR/9
- 2019: 3.79 ERA, 10.63 K/9, 3.62 BB/9, 1.26 HR/9
If you're wondering whether this would be considered "buying" or "selling" on Cleveland's part, the oddsmakers at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook consider it neither, as their World Series odds remain at 16-1.
- Indians: remain at +1600
- Reds: +50000 to +20000
- Padres: remain at+50000
At just 4.06 runs allowed per game, the Indians' pitching staff was ranked T-3 in baseball entering Wednesday. Meanwhile, their offense was middle of the pack at 4.66 runs scored per game. Franmil Reyes is tied for 10th in the MLB with 27 home runs, while Yasiel Puig had 22 jacks for the Reds. Cleveland ranked 19th in home runs entering Tuesday night.
Cincinnati's World Series odds remain long, but Bauer gives the Reds another high-caliber arm to go with Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray, who has enjoyed a resurgence since moving from New York to Ohio. The Reds are 6.5 games back in both the NL Central and in the race for the wild card.
#Padres GM A.J. Preller placing a big bet on Taylor Trammell, the game’s No. 30 prospect according to @MLBPipeline. Trammell has struggled at AA, batting .236 with a .688 OPS. Franmil Reyes has hit 27 homers in the majors this season and Logan Allen is the game’s No. 98 prospect.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2019
San Diego appears to be looking ahead to the future, which may be the right move given the team's young talent and loaded farm system. Taylor Trammell was Cincinnati's top prospect, which gives the Padres another high-potential stud for the coming years.
