After bouncing around quite a bit earlier in his career, Bauers is opting for some long-term security here, signing for $14.5 million per year instead of taking the $23.15 million qualifying offer from the Brewers. The Red Sox almost certainly have to move Jarren Duran now. Bauers probably will DH frequently, but he can also supplement Roman Anthony in left and Willson Contreras at first. Triston Casas also surely has to be very much available or perhaps a non-tender candidate. Boston is probably now out of the mix for Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki. The Brewers can turn to Andrew Vaughn as their primary first baseman next season with Bauers gone, but they’ll probably look for a lefty complement.
It’s extremely rare to see a qualifying offer accepted, but Bauers could wind up deciding to take it. It’s only happened 18 times out of 157 players to receive one since the system was first implemented back in 2012. The 31-year-old was a key cog in Milwaukee’s incredible World Series title run, taking home NLCS MVP honors after hitting .413 with one homer and six RBI during a sweep of the defending champion Dodgers. He finished as a top-10 first baseman for fantasy purposes this past season, hitting .266/.389/.484 with 93 runs scored, a career-high 26 home runs, 86 RBI and 11 steals in 578 plate appearances. He’ll have plenty of potential destinations if he decides to take his talents elsewhere.
The arrangement helped put a win on the board last night, though the offense was limited to three runs and eight hits. The lineup: LF Jackson Chourio, 1B Jake Bauers, DH Christian Yelich, C William Contreras, 2B Brice Turang, CF Garrett Mitchell, SS Cooper Pratt, RF Sal Frelick and 3B David Hamilton.
He was certainly deserving of the honor. Bauers had a legendary at-bat to wear down Yoshinobu Yamamoto and spark the Brewers’ comeback in Game 2. He then swatted a go-ahead homer after a long battle against Blake Snell in Game 3 and chipped in three RBI during the series-clinching victory in Game 4. He hit .412 with a homer and six RBI during the four-game sweep. It’s an outstanding accomplishment for the 31-year-old journeyman who pondered retirement last offseason.
The Brewers fell behind early in this one as the Dodgers scored four times in the home half of the second inning. They never quit though. Bauers got the comeback started with a two-run double off of Tyler Glasnow in the fourth inning. He then worked a bases-loaded walk to bring in the tying run during a two-run uprising in the fifth inning. He has been an absolute menace in the batter’s box this postseason and a big reason why the Brewers will have a chance to bring home their first World Series Title.
Bauers had another long at-bat that saw him foul off several middle-middle pitches before pulverizing a 3-2 cookie from Blake Snell to give the Brewers the 3-2 lead. The 31-year-old veteran has his first homer of the postseason, but he’s been excellent in the playoffs thus far while driving in three runs. Bauers and the Brewers are now one win away from their first trip to the World Series as a National League team, and can reach that accomplishment with a win Thursday in Game 4.
Bauers was one of a few regulars to sit Thursday after the Brewers clinched the NL Central, but he was also out of the lineup Friday and Saturday off against lefties, though he did get three plate appearances off the bench on Friday. He’s batting cleanup tonight.
Bauers missed each of the past three games due to shin splints, but he’s finally feeling better and is back in there at first base and batting fifth against Reds’ left-hander Andrew Abbott on Friday night in Milwaukee. The 30-year-old slugger has hit .268/.395/.490 with a career-high 24 homers and 78 RBI in 522 plate appearances in what has been a very productive season at the dish.
Bauers remains stapled to the bench for the third straight game as Milwaukee goes for their first home sweep of the Cubs since 2021. The 30-year-old first baseman and corner outfielder has been playing through shin splits in addition to several other physical issues recently. It’ll be Andrew Vaughn getting another turn at first base with Sal Frelick in right field.
The Brewers are prioritizing some extra rest for Bauers as he continues to play through shin splits, in addition to other assorted bumps and bruises. The decision makes sense with lefty David Peterson toeing the rubber for Chicago in this one. It’ll be Andrew Vaughn covering the cold corner and getting a chance to do some damage in his place.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters they pretty much forced Bauers to take a day off since he’s been playing through shin splints in addition to several other physical issues. He figures to be back in the lineup at some point this week. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.
Bauers led off the second inning with a walk, then was picked off of first base. He atoned for that mistake in the fourth inning, crushing a 408-foot (109.8-mph EV) two-run shot off of Brady Singer that pulled the Brewers to within two runs at 4-2. He also walked in the fifth inning and scored on Brice Turang’s two-run double. He also walked and scored in the ninth. Bauers finished the day 1-for-2 plus three walks and is now slashing .270/.395/.493 with 24 long balls and 78 RBI on the season.
Bauers walked three times and reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances after missing three games due to shin splints earlier this week. The unheralded 30-year-old masher has been an unexpectedly solid fantasy contributor, delivering borderline top-10 value among outfielders this season. He’s hit a robust .275/.389/.504 with 78 runs scored, a career-high 23 homers, 75 RBI and 10 steals in 481 plate appearances. Score one for the “old and boring veterans in the late rounds of a draft” strategic approach.
Bauers has been dealing with a relatively minor foot issue for the last couple weeks. He’s presumably available off the bench with rookie Luis Lara taking over in right field to open the contest.
Bauers’ homer off Martín Pérez was his fifth of the year off a left-handed pitcher. He had total eight of those in his six previous big-league seasons. Bauers is batting .273/.384/.506 through 469 plate appearances.
The Brewers take three out of four in L.A. Bauers had three previous four-hit games in his career, but they all came in 2018 or ’19. Today’s pushed him up to .275/.384/.500 on the season. That .884 OPS is 212 points better than his career mark of .672.
After collecting five hits through eight, the Brewers came back to win the game with five singles in the ninth. The first four of those came against Edwin Díaz, while Bauers’ was off lefty Alex Vesia. It was Bauers’ only hit to go along with a walk on the night. He went on to steal second afterwards, making him 9-for-12 on the basepaths this year.
Bauers also walked twice. The homer was a solo shot off Connor Prielipp in the fifth. In the 10th, he lined a ball to left to score automatic runner Brice Turang from second just ahead of the throw from Kody Clemens. Bauers is hitting .271/.376/.506 with 21 homers in a career year at age 30. He’s going to be a fascinating free agent case this winter.
Bauers missed each of the previous three contests due to abdominal discomfort. He’s back in there at first base and batting third against Twins’ right-hander Zebby Matthews on Friday evening in Milwaukee.
Andrew Vaughn is starting for the third straight game and batting cleanup against RHP Braxton Ashcraft. Bauers is considered day-to-day per Brewers manager Pat Murphy but has only tested his injury pre-game so far. Perhaps he’ll pinch-hit today if he’s up to it.
