Stop the Trevor Bauer-Padres talk, whatever there is of it, right now. It's not happening. It was not close to happening. Paint it as an unshakable non-starter at Petco Park.
The Padres want to win a World Series, possibly as much as anyone in baseball. The organization and principal owner Peter Seider have proven that in dollars and ink for seasons and offseasons on end.
The Padres need another starting pitcher. You can never have too many in this game, as October routinely reminds. A parade-chasing window could be closing with free agency looming for Yu Darvish and Blake Snell, along with a player option on the table in 2024 for Seth Lugo.
Grab a pitcher, by all means. Not that pitcher, though.
There's no doubt Bauer seems tempting, on paper. He's a Cy Young winner who led baseball in ERA+ and fewest hits allowed per nine innings in pandemic-shortened 2020. He's No. 24 in career wins above replacement among active pitchers.
And none of that matters … or at least it shouldn't. It didn't to the Padres, according to a highly-placed source with direct knowledge of the situation who confirmed the team will not pursue Bauer.
Character reveals itself most clearly and genuinely when decisions are toughest and the most is at stake. Bauer could absolutely change the trajectory of the NL West for the Padres and Dodgers, who recently sent the elite arm packing after his suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
Bauer denied all allegations and appealed his suspension.
Read into the Dodgers statement when they announced Bauer's release, however: They pointed out that although the 324-game suspension was reduced to 194 on appeal, investigations by Commissioner Rob Manfred's office and an arbitrator "concluded that Mr. Bauer's actions warranted the longest ever active player suspension in our sport for violations of this policy."
Yes, Bauer was not charged. There's no doubt about the message behind the Dodgers statement, though, regarding situations reportedly involving at least three women. There's too much smoke. There are too many believable reasons for fire.
If the Padres offered a landing spot for Bauer, some competitive deliciousness would have been stirred in. The pitcher easily could have been the tipping point in terms of putting the Dodgers in the rearview mirror again, with the rivals paying $22.5 million in freight.
You wouldn't just be welcoming a pitcher, though. You'd be bracing for a distracting and unrelenting circus of epic proportions, particularly when playing the Dodgers. Baseball would take a back seat.
Bauer might love the opportunity to shut down the team that walked away from him. The Padres, however, embrace the organizational model "best in class." They talk about it all the time. They line up behind it.
You can't claim that if you are not willing to live it.
Bringing in Bauer would not just say the Padres are trying to win, but shout that they are trying to win at all costs — no matter the ethical shrapnel. Do the Padres really want to hand deliver the moral high ground to the Dodgers? You can hear it now, "We did not dirty our hands. We did it the right way. The Padres? Well …"
The woman at center of the allegations is from San Diego, the Padres' own backyard. Whatever you believe or wherever you stand on Bauer, handing him a uniform would be interpreted by many as de facto victim blaming or outright dismissal.
There are plenty of fans — in San Diego and Los Angeles — who want Bauer in uniform, regardless of the ugly details and public-relations fallout. There also are many who understand the bigger picture amid the sordidness.
As one fan tweeted: "I would cancel my season tickets if the Padres sign Bauer." Another: "I'd rather lose without Bauer than win with him."
Some in the Padres clubhouse might welcome Bauer if foisted upon them, but many would not privately. The current group has built the best vibe and glue since, well, it's hard to know when. Lobbing a grenade in the middle of it constitutes real risk.
The Padres will save their players from that. Actions speak louder than words. In this case, inaction speaks volumes.
There's too much baggage and too many concerning and unanswered questions. Adding talent for talent's sake, despite the alarming and troublesome trimmings, would dilute and damage the sleeve-rolling work it took to build the current roster.
The Padres will decided to make this offseason about the addition of star shortstop Xander Bogaerts, not tossing the NLCS progress into a Bauer-chasing blender.
Win the World Series with Manny Machado, the guy who plays and plays and plays, through an ankle bruised technicolor. Win with Joe Musgrove, the hometown gem with integrity oozing from every pore. Win because of the guts of Jake Cronenworth and the uber-talent of Juan Soto.
Just don't try to win with Bauer.
Cap tip to the Padres for understanding that from the start.
