When Trevor Bauer sat alongside Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts during an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium, he highlighted an opportunity to contend for a World Series title as a key reason to signing.
“I want to be a member of a winning team, I want to be a member of an organization that values me and I value them,” Bauer said at the time. “It wasn’t about the money for me. It’s about being a part of something that’s bigger than myself and being part of an organization that can win.
“I want to win a World Series. I’ve come in second both in college and the big leagues. I’m tired of it. I want to come in first.”
He helped the Dodgers get off to a 13-2 start this season, but they have won just five of their past 20 games. At 18-17, L.A. has already matched their number of losses from last year’s 60-game season.
“I’m pissed, personally. I freaking hate losing,” Bauer said after Sunday’s defeat at the hands of the L.A. Angels. “I want to win. That’s why I came here. We are not playing up to our capability right now, so I’m mad. I’m not going to speak for everybody else.”
Bauer held the Angels to just two runs and collected nine strikeouts over six innings on Sunday. He was let down by an offense that mustered just one run and four hits. The Dodgers tied a season high with nine walks but went 2-for-20 with runners on base.
It resulted in Bauer suffering his first loss in six career starts against the Angels. He entered a lifetime 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA against the Angels, but had last faced them in 2017.
“I thought it was good. I thought I commanded the ball well and my stuff was good,” Bauer said of his outing. “Fortunate that five of the six baserunners came in the same inning. Overall, I threw the ball well.”
Roberts sees Dodgers trending up
Although the offense regressed one day after exploding for 14 runs — albeit during a game in which they benefitted from well-placed hits — Roberts sees the team headed in the right direction.
“Honestly, I think things are turning,” he said. “I really do. It’s easy to look at the result — we put up one run — but I just think the body of work the last few days has been a lot better.”
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