Jake Bauers’ epic postseason at-bat against Dodgers should put him on Blue Jays’ radar

Jake Bauers’ epic at-bat against Yoshinobu Yamamoto during game two of the NLCS might go down in history if the Milwaukee Brewers eliminate the Los Angeles Dodgers en route to the World Series—and the Toronto Blue Jays should be paying attention.

Bauers worked a 12-pitch walk against the man who single-handedly won the Dodgers their World Series last year. The walk came in a massive spot in the third inning, paving the way for Christian Yelich’s two-run single that ultimately knocked him out of the game early. 

This was the kind of tenacious plate appearance that the 2025 Blue Jays built their identity upon and didn’t have enough of this year. Bauers, set to become a free agent once the postseason ends, could therefore be a great target. 

Why should the Blue Jays sign Jake Bauers? 

Bauers broke out in a big way with the Brewers in 2026. After years of middling production, the former top prospect made good on his potential with 26 home runs and a .874 OPS (140 OPS+). He also stole 11 bases while playing in a career-high 144 games. 

His underlying metrics don’t suggest any of this newfound production was a fluke; his quality of contact metrics all ranked in the 90th percentile or better on Baseball Savant. He has the profile of a dangerous slugger because that’s exactly what he has become. 

Few hitters worked more free passes than Bauers in 2026—something Yamamoto learned the hard way during their key matchup in game two. His elite 16.3% walk rate more than made up for the fact that he struck out in more than a quarter of his at-bats. 

Bauers spent the bulk of his time at first base during the regular season, but made 40 starts in the outfield split between the corner spots. He could be the Blue Jays’ primary left fielder in 2027 if the front office is willing to accept some subpar defense. Slotting him in as their primary designated hitter would be even better if they move on from Anthony Santander. 

From the Blue Jays’ perspective, the only concern with adding Bauers is likely to be that he hits left-handed. They desperately need to add some right-handed thump. The good news is that he recorded a .901 OPS against southpaws in 2026 to buck the dramatic platoon splits he ran earlier in his career. Handling lefties was instrumental to his break-out.

As far as a potential contract is concerned, the 31-year-old will probably get paid the kind of money that the Brewers can’t afford. The monetary side shouldn’t be an issue for the Blue Jays, however, given all the salary they have coming off the books.

Bauers figures to be a hot commodity this winter after a stellar season. His combination of power, plate discipline, and defensive versatility is extremely desirable—and something the Blue Jays should be willing to open their wallets to acquire. 

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