Trevor Bauer is one of the most outspoken players in Major League Baseball, and he has been extremely critical of commissioner Rob Manfred this offseason. However, Bauer finally came up with something nice to say about Manfred after the two sat down for a meeting.
Bauer revealed on Wednesday that he met with Manfred, and the Cincinnati Reds pitcher complimented Manfred for being a “man of his word” and taking the time to listen to the concerns players have.
I’ve been publicly critical of Rob Manfred before, but I have to give him props. He said he’d meet with any players who had further questions and he was a man of his word this morning. We had a very productive meeting about a wide range of topics. @MLB
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) March 4, 2020
Bauer and Manfred likely discussed the Houston Astros cheating scandal as well as the changes MLB is mulling for its playoff format. Bauer has not been shy in blasting the Astros over their sign-stealing scheme, and many players felt Manfred handled the situation poorly and should have disciplined players.
Earlier this month, Bauer publicly insulted Manfred over the proposed MLB playoff changes. Those changes include expanding the playoff field to seven teams in each league; giving the top team in each league a bye into the divisional round; having a TV show where teams pick their opponents; and a 3-game series in the first round, where the higher-seeded team hosts all three games.
Meeting with Bauer sounds like it was a good move for Manfred. The commissioner probably helped Bauer see the other side of things, which is something the right-hander may overlook when he breaks into his tirades.
