Trevor Bauer signing gives World Series champion Dodgers 3 Cy Young winners

This season is about adding to our legacy. And I can’t wait, Dodger fans.”

The Dodgers made it worth his while: His contract is for $102 million US over three years, according to multiple media reports.

Bauer, who turned 30 last month, was born in North Hollywood, went to high school in Santa Clarita and played baseball at UCLA.

Bauer joins a Dodgers rotation that had a major league-best 3.02 earned-run average during the abbreviated 60-game season last year, when the franchise won its first championship since 1988.

He gives the club a third Cy Young winner, joining three-time winner Clayton Kershaw and 2012 winner Price. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Dodgers are the first team to have three former Cy Young winners in their rotation since the Detroit Tigers in 2014 had Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Price.

Bauer is 75-64 with a 3.90 ERA in nine major league seasons that included a career-best 17-9 with a 4.19 ERA for Cleveland in 2017. He was an all-star the following year, going 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA.

Bauer was 5-4 in his second season with Cincinnati and his 1.73 ERA was second in the major leagues among qualified pitchers behind only Cleveland’s Shane Bieber at 1.63. Bauer earned $6,481,481 in prorated pay from a $17.5 million salary.

Astros’ Correa to make $11.7M in 2021

Shortstop Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros settled their arbitration case Saturday, reaching a deal on a one-year contract for $11.7 million US.

Correa had asked for $12.5 million and the Astros had offered $9.75 million.

The 26-year-old all-star had an $8 million salary that became a prorated $2,962,963 during the pandemic-shortened season.

Correa hit .264 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 58 games last year, then excelled in the post-season. He hit .362 with six homers and 17 RBI in 13 playoff contests as Houston came within one win of reaching the World Series. Correa led major league shortstops with a .995 fielding percentage, making just one error.

Ozuna back to Braves on 4-year deal

Marcell Ozuna is returning to Atlanta, with or without the designated hitter.

The Braves reclaimed Ozuna’s power bat for the middle of their lineup on Friday night by signing the slugger to a four-year contract worth $65 million US.

The Braves announced the deal for the 2020 National League home run and RBI leader less than two weeks before pitchers and catchers are set to report for spring training. The deal includes a fifth-year club option for $16 million with a $1 million buyout.

The Braves made the major commitment to Ozuna despite having no assurance there will be a DH in the NL in 2021. He flourished in the role in 2020, helping the Braves win the NL East and come within one win of advancing to the World Series.

During the regular season, he batted .338 with 18 homers and 56 runs batted in, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown. He started all 60 games, posting a career-best 1.067 OPS and finishing sixth in NL MVP voting.

Cubs finalize deals with Pederson, 2 pitchers

Joc Pederson joined the Chicago Cubs on Friday, finalizing a one-year contract with the National League Central champions.

The Cubs also announced one-year deals for pitchers Trevor Williams and Andrew Chafin. The contracts for Pederson and Chafin include a mutual option for 2022.

While Pederson struggled during the pandemic-shortened season, he set career highs with 36 homers, 74 RBI and a .249 batting average in 149 games in 2019. The 28-year-old Williams was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh after he went 2-8 with a 6.18 ERA in 11 starts during the pandemic-shortened season.

Williams, a second-round pick by Miami in the 2013 draft, broke into the majors in 2016 and spent his first five seasons with the Pirates. The right-hander had his best year in 2018, going 14-10 with a 3.11 ERA in 31 starts.

Chafin, 30, finished last season with Chicago after he was acquired in an Aug. 31 trade with Arizona. The lefty reliever went 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four appearances with the Cubs and is 10-13 with a 3.67 ERA in 341 big league appearances.

Brewers shore up infield, add Wong

Kolten Wong is leaving St. Louis behind but staying in the National League Central as the Milwaukee Brewers reshape the right side of their infield by adding a Gold Glove second baseman.

Wong and the Brewers finalized their two-year, $18-million contract on Friday, a deal that includes a 2023 club option.

St. Louis had declined a $12.5 million 2021 option for Wong in October, making the two-time Gold Glove winner eligible for free agency.

The 30-year-old owns a career .261 batting average with a .333 on-base percentage. Wong batted .265 with one homer and 16 RBI in 53 games last season.

Schoop, Tigers agree to 1-year contract

Second baseman Jonathan Schoop is staying with the Detroit Tigers, agreeing to a one-year contract.

The 29-year-old hit .278 with eight home runs in the abbreviated 2020 season. He hit at least 21 home runs each of the previous four years.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to rejoin the Tigers for the 2021 season,” Schoop said. “We have a really good group here — we started to build something special last year and are going to take it to the next level in 2021.”

Schoop played exclusively at second base for the Tigers last year, and in 2019 for the Minnesota Twins. He has, however, played a little bit at shortstop and third base during his career, and he indicated that new Detroit manager AJ Hinch is open to moving him around.