The Milwaukee Brewers, following their World Series win in 2026, are going to see a few important changes made to the MLB roster. One has already happened.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Boston Red Sox are signing Jake Bauers to a four-year, $58 million contract this offseason, leaving the Brewers without their NLCS MVP.
Now what will the Brewers do? There are plenty of options for the Brewers to replace Bauers this offseason, and these are three potential players who could replace Bauers in the Milwaukee lineup.
3 options the Brewers could turn to to replace Jake Bauers after the Red Sox deal
1. Ty France, free agent, 1B
In free agency, there are some interesting first base options worth considering, but Ty France is the one that makes the most sense for the Brewers.
The left-handed slugger is 32 years old and coming off an incredible 4.5 bWAR season, which is the best mark among all free agent first basemen, Bauers included.
It might cost a bit to bring him in, but he’s about as close to a direct replacement for Bauers as the Brewers could get this offseason without breaking the bank for a star addition in a trade.
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2. Any of their in-house options
Bauers is vacating a lot of playing time for the Brewers, and while they could go out and sign someone like France, or add someone in a trade, it would also make sense for the Brewers to turn to their depth and farm system for a Bauers replacement.
Andrew Vaughn could split time at first base with top-five prospect Andrew Fischer, who posted a 1.067 OPS in 126 games last season between High-A and Double-A.
Or maybe they hope someone like Luke Adams, Tyler Black, Blake Burke, or Brock Wilken can make a difference.
They don’t necessarily need to splurge on a replacement at first base for Bauers, with some of the options in the organization being reasonable pivots for Milwaukee.
3. Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals, 1B
Of the potential ways the Brewers could replace Bauers, a trade for a first baseman might be the most intriguing. There might be some fun options available, and Vinnie Pasquantino of the Kansas City Royals is certainly among the most fun.
He’s a left-handed hitting first baseman coming off a down season, but he still hit 17 home runs with a .249 average and a .760 OPS with 2.5 bWAR in 114 games.
Pasquantino is under club control through 2029, and while he might cost a bit to acquire, he’s not too expensive and would be a perfect option to replace Bauers’ offensive production in the lineup.
Of the possible options to replace Bauers after he joined the Red Sox, Pasquantino is probably the least likely. But if the Brewers want to get a bit creative, a trade for the Royals’ first baseman is certainly something worth considering.
