The Dodgers will enter the new year approaching the back nine of their 14-day window to decide whether or not to activate right-hander Trevor Bauer, after his 324-game suspension was significantly reduced on Dec. 22.
That fateful day will come on Jan. 6, when the Dodgers must decide to let Bauer loose into the wild or to add him to their 40-man roster. If they *do* "bring him back," they can later deal him nearly free of charge to another team. Either way, LA is stuck with the lion's share salary commitment.
According to Jack Harris of the LA Times, the Dodgers believed a Bauer ruling would come later in the offseason, and they remain unsure of how they plan to proceed once the window closes on Jan. 6.
Trevor Bauer made just 17 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers before being placed on paid administrative leave amid sexual assault allegations.
Bauer remained on leave throughout the remainder of the 2021 season and into the following year. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred then suspended him for 324 games, which temporarily ruled out Bauer from pitching again for the Dodgers.
However, he appealed the suspension and after a lengthy process, had it reduced to 194 games while also being immediately reinstated by arbitrator Martin F. Scheinman.
That put the Dodgers on a timeline of needing to decide Bauer’s future with the team by January 6, 2023. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the expectation remains the Dodgers will release Bauer in part to some within the clubhouse not wanting him back:
