Red SoxSaturday, November 14
Red Sox agree to a four-year, $58 million deal with Brewers slugger Jake Bauers
The BOStoday team
The Red Sox made their first big offseason move. They agreed to a four-year, $58 million contract with free agent Jake Bauers on Friday. Bauers, 31, was the NLCS MVP and helped bring the Brewers their first World Series title in franchise history. Two years ago, he nearly retired.
$58 millionover four years, the deal Bauers reportedly agreed to with the Red Sox
ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report the agreement on Friday.
Sources: Boston.com, MassLive.com
Bauers declined a $23.15 million qualifying offer from the Brewers, so the Red Sox will forfeit two 2027 draft picks. He played mostly first base in 2026, but Willson Contreras is already on the roster there.
- 2026 line: .266 average, .389 on-base, .484 slugging
- Power and production: 26 home runs, 86 RBIs
- Lockout: owners plan one when the CBA expires 11:59 p.m. Dec. 1
Bauers turned down a qualifying offer worth far more than his 2026 pay
Source: MassLive.com
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| 2025 salary | $1.35M |
| 2026 salary | $2.7M |
| Qualifying offer declined | $23.15M |
Sources: Boston.com, MassLive.com, WCVB