Dodgers: Trevor Bauer Doesn’t Blame Coors Field Effect for Losing No-Hitter Bid
As far as debuts go, it’s hard to do better than Trevor Bauer did over 6 innings in his first start with the Dodgers. The free agent acquisition flirted with a no-hitter while striking out 10 Rockies over 6.1 innings pitched. Through 6 innings, he had only allowed a walk and pitched around a Justin Turner throwing error.
Then things quickly fell apart in the 7th inning.
Colorado shortstop Trevor Story singled to leadoff the inning and break up the no-hit bid. Outfielder Charlie Blackmon followed with a 2-run home run, breaking up the shutout. After a walk and another homer, that was all she wrote for Trevor Bauer.
Altogether, he allowed three hits, a walk, and 4 runs in what felt like the most Coors Field inning you could ever watch. But Bauer wasn’t willing to put the blame on Coors after the game.
Bauer also said that he didn't think about the no-hitter at any point during his outing.
Also doubled down on saying that he doesn't think Coors Field works incredibly against pitchers, it's overblown.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) April 3, 2021
I think that whole [Coors Field is] not favorable to pitchers thing is overblown. I think a lot of the guys come in here and beat themselves mentally before they even take the mound.
For Dodgers fans that have watched the team visit that wretched hellhole over the years, well, they might beg to differ. At any rate, the right-hander could be onto something considering he was cruising over the first 6 innings. Moreover, with the no-hitter in the minds of many watching the game, Bauer said he never gave it much of a thought.
As far as the no-hitter goes, I don’t really care. If it happens, it happens, it’s not really something that’s in the pitcher’s control. Unless you strike out 27 guys, there’s going to be balls put into play and that’s luck. Whether they get hit at people or whether the defense makes a great play — I mean, there were a lot of great plays behind me tonight. I very easily could have given up hits before the 7th. I look at it as luck.
Related: Rally Cat on the Loose at Coors Field Steals the Show
Sometimes, as they say, it’s better to be lucky than good and Trevor Bauer was both for the first 6 innings of his Dodger debut. In the first inning, he was saved on a brilliant diving play up the middle by Gavin Lux, so there’s your luck. Plus, nearly half of his outs came via the strikeout ball, pointing to his focus to — in his own words — “go out there and try to embarrass people.”
Perhaps most importantly, Bauer chipped in $10,000 toward local STEM and youth nonprofits in LA via his new Ks For a Cause initiative.
NEXT: Walker Buehler Finally Set to Open the Season on Time
Probably got out of sync when he returned to the mound for the bottom of the 7th as he was in unfamiliar territory during the top of the 7th inning– he was actually on base for a length of time! Looked smooth and solid on the mound for 6 innings.