Jake Bauers' Unexpected Rise Fuels Brewers' World Series Berth

Jake Bauers, once a player on the fringes of the New York Yankees, has emerged as a pivotal figure for the Milwaukee Brewers, earning National League Championship Series (NLCS) MVP honors as his team swept the Los Angeles Dodgers to reach the World Series. Bauers recorded six runs batted in (RBIs) across the four-game series, becoming the first Brewer to receive the championship series award.

His go-ahead, two-run home run in Game 3 is considered a key moment that shifted the series momentum. "I don’t know," Bauers said after the Brewers' 6-4 victory in Game 4. "I just let it all come to me. I didn’t chase it. I didn’t want anything. I just wanted to be a part of something, and that’s what I got."

The Brewers are now set to open the World Series at home on October 23, facing either the Cleveland Guardians or the Tampa Bay Rays.

Bauers' path to this achievement was far from linear. Just two years ago, he contemplated retirement. After batting .202 with twelve home runs for the Yankees in 2023, he was traded to Milwaukee in the offseason. His first season with the Brewers in 2024 saw him hit .199.

His decision to continue playing was influenced by his wife's pregnancy, motivating him to provide for his growing family. Despite brief stretches of success with the Yankees in 2023, a late-season slump and a subsequent trade to Milwaukee marked a challenging period. The Yankees sent him to the Brewers for two minor league outfielders.

Bauers, originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2013 before being traded to the Rays the following year, made his MLB debut in Tampa Bay in June 2018. After moving through several organizations and splitting time between the majors and minors in 2025, he experienced a breakout season this year, slashing .266/.389/.484 with 26 home runs.

His journey includes four trades, three releases, and the contemplation of ending his career. This remarkable turnaround culminates in leading the Brewers to their first pennant since 1982, a year after they were swept by the Dodgers in the same series.

During the NLCS, Bauers went 4-for-14, with each hit carrying significant weight. In Game 4, his two-run double fueled the Brewers' comeback, and his seventh-inning, two-run home run in Game 3 provided the decisive lead. "He’s been huge for us all season, and I’m just really proud of him," said teammate Christian Yelich. "He’s been a huge part of our team, and he had an unbelievable series with some great at-bats and a huge homer last night and a big double today to get things rolling. He did a great job."

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers holds the NLCS MVP trophy after Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Ashley Landis