Sources - Jake Bauers, Red Sox agree to 4-year, $58M deal - ESPN

First baseman Jake Bauers and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to four-year, $58 million contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Friday.

Bauers, who turned 31 in October, was one of the Milwaukee Brewers' postseason heroes, culminating a shocking breakout season in which he was one of the top hitters in the majors.

Because Bauers received a $23.15 million qualifying offer, the Brewers will receive draft pick compensation since he signed with a new team.

Bauers had two epic plate appearances against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. earning MVP honors while hitting .286 with six RBIs in the four-game sweep.

In Game 2, he worked Yoshinobu Yamamoto for a memorable 12-pitch walk to load the bases in the third inning. Christian Yelich then followed with a go-ahead two-run single, knocking Yamamoto out of the game. In Game 3, Bauers delivered one of the biggest hits of the postseason, belting a 412-foot go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning off Blake Snell on the 11th pitch of the at-bat.

Bauers batted .266/.389/.484 with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs this season, leading the Brewers in home runs while ranking third in MLB in on-base percentage and seventh in wRC+. He was a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award among NL first basemen and NL utility players, as he also played at the corner outfield positions in 46 games this season.

It was an impressive season for a journeyman who nearly retired after the 2024 season.

Bauers entered the 2026 season with minus-1.2 career WAR, having played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees in his major league career — with a minor-league stint with the Cincinnati Reds thrown in — before landing with the