Brewers Offer Jake Bauers $23.15 Million Qualifying Deal
Milwaukee offered first baseman Jake Bauers a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying deal on November 2, after his career-best 2026 season. He has until November 17 to accept.
The Milwaukee Brewers offered Jake Bauers a one-year contract worth $23.15 million, signaling interest in retaining the 31-year-old after he became eligible for free agency. Bauers is among eight players to receive qualifying offers this year, and must decide by November 17 whether to accept Milwaukee’s deal.
Bauers hit 26 home runs and drove in 86 runs over 144 games in 2026, both career highs. Before this season, his best totals were 12 home runs and 48 RBIs. He earned $2.7 million in 2026, and his career earnings are just over $9.43 million.
A qualifying offer is a one-year contract valued at the average salary of the league’s 125 highest-paid players. If Bauers accepts, he will play for Milwaukee next season. If he declines and signs with another team, the Brewers receive draft compensation.
One market projection puts Bauers’ potential contract at slightly more than $57 million over four years, or just above $14 million annually. Accepting would guarantee him $23.15 million for one season; rejecting it would leave him to pursue a multiyear agreement in free agency. Milwaukee is therefore positioned either to keep him on the one-year deal or receive compensation if he leaves.