Before reporters confirmed, somewhat surprisingly, that Trevor Bauer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, there was a growing assumption that he was going to commit his future to the New York Mets.
This sentiment increased when, on Friday afternoon, the pitcher’s website began to release Mets related merchandise. After seeing that, one would think that Bauer had indeed decided to play in New York.
However, the merchandise was removed just a few minutes after it became available, and Bauer explained that he was signing with the Dodgers (closer to his hometown) on his YouTube channel.
On the weekend, the now-Dodgers turned to Twitter to issue an apology to New York Mets fans after the unfortunate events.
“Mets fans, I owe you an explanation and apology,” Bauer said. “My intention this entire offseason was to engage with fans in ways that made the off season and free agent process more interesting.”
“The plan was not to have those pages live until a decision had been made, which is obviously not what happened. That was the first mistake. The plan was to release a link to my website and the appropriate materials via linktree on my Instagram page once my decision was finalized. Unfortunately, that link was posted in error well before any decision had been made. That was the second mistake. Understandably, the link was quickly discovered and began to spread on social media,” he said.
He looks forward to pitching in the Mets’ home field even as a foe
He also explained that “the resulting confusion is understandable and regrettable. My intention was never to mislead your fan base, nor was it to troll you in any way. I had a fantastic time engaging with fans from many teams over the last few months and Mets fans priced to be as passionate and energetic a bunch as any, so I offer my sincerest apologies for how the events Friday played out. I have no control over false media reports stating a contract was in place or that terms had been agreed to, but I do accept responsibility for the errors above. It was an embarrassing and emotional moment for me.”
The pitcher looks forward to pitching in Citi Field as a visitor, eve though he knows he will probably be booed.
“I look forward to my next visit to Citi Field and hope to hear you just as loud in person, even if it’s not in cheers for me,” Bauer said.