With a 5-2 win on Thursday over their division rival Pittsburgh Pirates, the Milwaukee Brewers have advanced to 72-43. They are first place in the National League Central and own the best record in all of MLB.
The team has done it all season long without the long ball, as they rank last in MLB with 106 home runs this season. Despite this, their slugging percentage ranks better at 20th with a .397 mark. They find a way to score runs by any means necessary.
Outfielder/first baseman/designated hitter Jake Bauers has the most home runs by a Brewer this year with 20 in 102 games. This is his third year in Milwaukee, and Bauers has only improved year after year.
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The first baseman posted a .662 OPS in 2024, .752 in 2025 and now an .878 in 2026. His value has exploded, especially for a Brewers team with not much pop to go around.
Over 403 plate appearances this season, Bauers is slashing .270/.375/.503 with 20 homers and 64 RBIs. He has done this mostly from the fifth spot in the batting order, though he has hit third, fourth and sixth a good amount.
Bauers was absent from Milwaukee’s lineup for their last three games against Pittsburgh due to abbdominal soreness. After Thursday’s game, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported that the club is hopeful Bauers can play Friday.
That game is against the Minnesota Twins, who have yet to name a starter. Bauers is playing almost every day this season after being strictly a platoon bat versus right-handed pitchers last season.
He has hit righties at a .901 OPS in 306 plate appearances this season, lefties to an .805 clip in 97 plate appearances. This newfound ability is what has made the 30-year-old such a tough out.
Bauers has been splitting time at first base and corner outfield this year, depending on what bats need to get in the lineup. Andrew Vaughn has taken the lion’s share of reps at first base recently with his hot hitting, so Bauers has been in the outfield more lately.
