The first big bat went off the board on November 13. That would be Jake Bauers, who reportedly signed a four-year deal to join the Boston Red Sox. Bauers, the 2026 NLCS MVP, cashed in after a career year with the World Series champions.
A Look at Bauers
What a difference two years can make for a player, particularly Jake Bauers.
As was well publicized, Jake Bauers was on the verge of retiring after 2024. Once a former top prospect in the Minors, Bauers bounced between the Rays, Guardians, and Yankees organization before he found a home in Milwaukee. But with the pending birth of his child after 2024, Bauers returned to baseball after he notched two hits, including a home run, in that year’s postseason.
Bauers only played 86 games in 2025 and was mostly used as a platoon option. He fell behind on the Brewers’ depth chart thanks to the emergence of Andrew Vaughn. But he hit .308 in the 2025 MLB Playoffs, which wound up being a precursor to something big.
During the 2026 regular season, Bauers became a regular in a year in which he hit 26 home runs and 50 total extra-base hits. What’s more, Bauers shed that platoon label. He posted an OPS north of .900 against southpaws, and eight of those regular-season home runs came against left-handed pitching. Bauers’ 12.5% Barrel% against lefties was top 40 in the league (min. 75 batted balls).
His .381 wOBA was among the top 10 in the Majors this year (min. 375 PA).
For those who watched Bauers’ wild at-bat against Blake Snell in Game 3 of the 2026 NLCS, one that ultimately resulted in a massive home run, you could probably guess the kind of hitter Bauers is. Very disciplined, doesn’t expand out of the zone too much, and has well-above-average pop.
Now, was there swing-and-miss in there? Obviously. Bauers, though, fit that mantra of the Brewers to a tee: fight counts, and he actually made a good amount of contact by and large.
We ranked Bauers as the third-best infielder available this winter.
Per multiple reports, including from MLB.com and ESPN, Jake Bauers will receive a four-year deal worth $58MM. Since Bauers was qualified by the Brewers earlier in the month, Milwaukee will receive MLB Draft pick compensation.
Analysis
There’s a lot to digest here.
Boston’s lineup did need some pop, despite the fact that the club did have a logjam of position players in general. Last season, the Red Sox had three hitters that accumulated at least 20 home runs: Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran, the latter of whom has a murky future in Boston.
The Red Sox didn’t get much from Trevor Story and Roman Anthony, both of whom missed most of their 2026 campaigns. And it had not been for a scorching-hot stretch from Mickey Gasper in August; only Ceddanne Rafaela and Caleb Durbin would have been the only other two Sox hitters to hit double-digit home runs.
To keep up with the other powers in the AL East and the American League at large, Bauers’ power and ability to get on base will help. However, the Red Sox’s roster realignment likely doesn’t stop here.
Bauers, meanwhile, passed up the $23MM qualifying offer to receive more guaranteed money. This, now, leaves the Brewers without their regular first baseman from last year.
Milwaukee still has Andrew Vaughn, which helps. The Brewers also have Andrew Fischer, arguably the best power hitter presently in the Minors, as a potential long-term option.
Check out more of our MLB coverage.