One Former Guardians Player’s Career Turnaround Is Remarkable

Not long ago, Jake Bauers looked like a cautionary tale. The first baseman and outfielder bounced around five organizations, never posted an above-average season at the plate and seemed headed for a career of minor league deals. Cleveland fans remember that version of him well, from two forgettable stints with the club. The 2026 version is a completely different player. Bauers just helped the Milwaukee Brewers win the World Series, took home NLCS MVP honors and is now one of the more interesting free agents on the market. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman shared his thoughts on Bauers’ remarkable turnaround after signing with the Red Sox.

“Bauers nearly retired a couple years ago due to struggles, then turned his career around with huge 2026 season. NLCS MVP for Brewers. Had Qualifying Offer but beat it with long deal,” Heyman wrote.

Bauers nearly retired a couple years ago due to struggles, then turned his career around with huge 2026 season. NLCS MVP for Brewers. Had Qualifying Offer but beat it with long deal https://t.co/WRhsUpLnje

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 13, 2026

Bauers’ 2026 season was a revelation. In 144 games, he hit .266 with a .389 on-base percentage and a .484 slugging percentage, adding 26 home runs, 86 RBIs, 93 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. He drew 94 walks, and his .874 OPS and 140 OPS+ were by far the best marks of his career. He was worth 3.3 WAR and even received MVP votes, finishing 23rd in the National League. Milwaukee rewarded him with a qualifying offer worth $23.15 million.

Compare that to his time in Cleveland. The Guardians acquired Bauers from Tampa Bay in a three-team trade in December 2018, hoping the young left-handed bat would develop into an everyday player. He hit .226 with 12 home runs and a .683 OPS in 117 games in 2019, then struggled even more in 2021, hitting .190 in 43 games before Cleveland traded him to Seattle. Across his two seasons in Cleveland, he hit .218 with a .656 OPS.

The years that followed were not much better. Bauers spent 2022 in the minors, hit .202 for the Yankees in 2023 and .199 for Milwaukee in 2024. Before this season, his career OPS sat well below .700, and he had never posted an OPS+ above 111 in a full season.

Something clicked in Milwaukee. Bauers took a step forward in 2025 with a .752 OPS in a part-time role, then broke out completely this year after returning on a minor league deal. His plate discipline was the biggest change, as he became one of the most patient hitters in the National League. He carried that into October and delivered when the Brewers needed it most.

Now 31, Bauers heads to Fenway Park with a chance to prove his breakout was no fluke. He will also be a familiar face for Guardians fans, since Boston is an American League rival Cleveland will see plenty of in 2027. For anyone who watched him struggle in Cleveland, seeing him go from a waiver wire afterthought to a World Series hero with a fresh deal in Boston is a remarkable turnaround.