First baseman Jake Bauers and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a four-year, $58 million contract, ESPN reported Friday. A source confirmed the terms to MLB.com, which reported that the deal was pending a physical. The agreement would bring Boston a left-handed hitter who hit 26 home runs for Milwaukee this year. It would also give the Brewers an extra pick near the top of the 2027 draft.
Boston had yet to list Bauers in its official transactions on Friday afternoon. Bauers spent the last three seasons with Milwaukee and was named National League Championship Series MVP after the Brewers swept the Dodgers. Milwaukee went on to win its first World Series.
Why the $50 million threshold matters to Milwaukee
The Brewers made Bauers a qualifying offer after the season. The one-year offer was worth $23.15 million, according to Field Level Media’s report. The reported Boston deal averages $14.5 million a year over four years and exceeds the draft compensation threshold by $8 million. The rule uses the value of the full contract.
Under MLB’s qualifying offer rules, a club that receives revenue sharing and loses a qualifying free agent gets a pick between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A if the player signs for at least $50 million. A smaller contract would put that pick after Competitive Balance Round B. The Brewers are in the revenue-sharing category. Milwaukee got a pick in the earlier slot after losing shortstop Willy Adames to San Francisco, using the No. 32 selection in 2025 on high school shortstop Brady Ebel, MLB.com reported.
Boston’s cost comes under a different part of the rule. As a competitive balance tax payer, it stands to forfeit its second- and fifth-highest draft selections and $1 million from its upcoming international signing bonus pool. Milwaukee’s compensation pick is awarded separately. Boston’s highest first-round pick is protected under the rule.
Where Bauers could fit in Boston
Bauers hit .266 with a .389 on-base percentage and a .484 slugging percentage for Milwaukee in 2026. His 26 homers and 86 RBIs were career highs. The power came with a strong walk rate. He walked in 16.3% of his plate appearances, though he also struck out 27% of the time, according to MLB.com.
Bauers played primarily at first base for Milwaukee and also appeared in both corner outfield spots. Willson Contreras is Boston’s incumbent first baseman, and Masataka Yoshida spent time at designated hitter. Bauers gives Boston another option at all three spots while the club works out how to use him.
