Trevor Bauer Slams MLB over 'Competitive Integrity Bulls--t' After Substance Memo

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, who has been one of the main characters in the increased discussion about pitchers using foreign substances this season, is not happy with Major League Baseball's decision to start enforcing rules preventing the use of such substances.

He explained his position in a Twitter thread:

"Only one of the MASSIVE problems with what MLB is doing. They've knowingly swept this under the rug for 4 years. Now they implement a knee jerk reaction to shifting public perception. Hard to hear them talk about 'competitive integrity' when they have no integrity to begin with."

"To be clear, the memo is fine long term, and it will serve to level the playing field. That is a good thing. But to implement it mid season when for 3 months you've promised players and teams that nothing about your chosen enforcement of the rules would change this year and actively encouraged players to continue playing how that have in the past, that's a lie. There's no integrity in that. So save it with the competitive integrity bulls--t mlb. All you care about is the bottom line of the business, and public perception negatively affecting it."

He continued, pointing to potential confusion from umpires:

"While we're at it mlb, please tell us how umpires who have never been trained to know what a 'sticky' substance is or isn't are supposed to automatically enforce that uniformly? What is the standard for what is 'sticky' and what's not? Might want to clarify that, ya know, for the 'competitive integrity' of the game. It would be really unfair to have one crew think sticky is one thing and another crew to think it's another thing. Rules are supposed to be uniformly enforced right? Almost like you should've used an off season to define that."

Bauer's rant comes after the league announced it will start strictly enforcing the rules, which could lead to ejections and suspensions.

The league's announcement made it clear there will be "regular checks of all pitchers regardless of whether an opposing club's manager makes a request."

Pitchers who violate the rules will be ejected and suspended for 10 games with pay, with repeat offenders "subject to progressive discipline." Catchers will also face routine inspections, and positions players will only be ejected if the umpire believes he is applying such substances to the ball in an effort to help pitchers.

Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement:

"After an extensive process of repeated warnings without effect, gathering information from current and former players and others across the sport, two months of comprehensive data collection, listening to our fans and thoughtful deliberation, I have determined that new enforcement of foreign substances is needed to level the playing field. I understand there's a history of foreign substances being used on the ball, but what we are seeing today is objectively far different, with much tackier substances being used more frequently than ever before. It has become clear that the use of foreign substance has generally morphed from trying to get a better grip on the ball into something else—an unfair competitive advantage that is creating a lack of action and an uneven playing field."

Former Los Angeles Angels visiting clubhouse manager Brian Harkins recently made headlines as well when he told Stephanie Apstein and Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated he provided substances to a number of pitchers, including Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Corey Kluber and Adam Wainwright.

As for Bauer, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported in April the league was investigating balls from a game he pitched for sticky substances.

Bauer pitched for Cleveland from 2013 into the 2019 season and posted an ERA of 4.18 or higher in his first five seasons with the team. He also finished with a 6.39 ERA in 10 starts for the Cincinnati Reds in 2019.

However, he won the National League Cy Young behind a 1.73 ERA during the shortened 2020 campaign.