Story by
Why Brewers' Jake Bauers probably won't re-sign as MLB free agent
- Story by
- Why Brewers' Jake Bauers probably won't re-sign as MLB free agent
Why Brewers' Jake Bauers probably won't re-sign as MLB free agent originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Milwaukee Brewers are just two wins away from the franchise's first World Series title.
Advertisement
They need to win two of the next five games against the Tampa Bay Rays in the Fall Classic.
For now, Milwaukee's focus is geared towards lifting the trophy. However, they could lose Jake Bauers, the NLCS MVP, this offseason.
Bauers had the best offensive season of his career, hitting .266/.389/.484 with 26 home runs and a 140 OPS+.
"Somewhat like [Ty] France, it can be hard to know what to expect from Bauers moving forward. His .874 OPS in 2026 was tied for 10th among all qualified hitters in baseball," Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly wrote.
"So far this postseason, he's got an .867 OPS. At the same time, he was a journeyman with a .672 career OPS before this season. Is Bauers a late bloomer, or is he just in the midst of a Linsanity run?"
Advertisement
Chances are, the Brewers won't pay Bauers what he's looking for in free agency, unless he's willing to take a pay cut.
"The guess here is that Bauers will get a nice two-year deal this winter, probably not from the Brewers. Then the Brewers will churn someone else completely off the radar into that spot next year and win 100-ish games," Kelly added.
MORE: Dodgers facing tricky question over Shohei Ohtani's future as a two-way player
Plenty of teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets , should be looking for a first baseman this winter.
Organizations like the Mets might be willing to overspend on a hitter like Bauers, while the Brewers hope to find another diamond in the rough.
Advertisement
