Trevor Bauer 'Has Rejected the Qualifying Offer but Not the Reds,' Says Agent

Rachel Luba, the agent for Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, announced Wednesday her client has declined the team's qualifying offer for 2021 and will become an unrestricted free agent. 

Here's her full statement:

Bauer is coming off a dominant 2020 season with the Reds. He posted a microscopic 1.73 ERA and 0.79 WHIP with 100 strikeouts in 73 innings across 11 starts during the coronavirus-shortened campaign.

The 29-year-old California native will likely win the NL Cy Young Award and hit free agency as one of the most coveted players available this winter.

"As far as free agency goes, I'm going to listen to every offer that comes in and make a decision where I want to play based on factors that are important to me," Bauer told reporters in September. "I want to win. I want to be happy. I want to enjoy playing baseball. I don't think any team is out of the running to sign me."

Although the right-hander's career numbers are more modest than his 2020 performance, they're still good enough to consider him a top-tier starter. He's compiled a 3.90 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 9.67 strikeout rate in nine seasons with the Reds, Cleveland Indians and Arizona Diamondbacks.

He ranks 16th in WAR (20.3) among qualified starting pitchers since 2014, when he became a full-time member of the Tribe's rotation for the first time, per FanGraphs.

Bauer should attract widespread interest in free agency, and the type of contract he signs could be a key bellwether for the type of financial outlook MLB clubs are dealing with after playing the entire 2020 regular season without fans in attendance. Some spectators were allowed for the latter stages of the playoffs.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the starter, who's suggested he may spend his entire career signing one-year contracts, would have been expected to receive between $40-45 million for 2021 before the pandemic, but the projection has dropped to $30-35 million "if that."

That's still a large sum but the drop may get Bauer to consider slightly longer deals, perhaps two or three years, while the MLB economy works its way back to full strength. He'd still find his way back to free agency in his early 30s with a chance for more major paydays, while securing his short-term future.

Bauer's tremendous 2020 season combined with the high number of contenders looking to upgrade their rotation should give him no shortage of options on the open market.