With just 163 home runs to their credit, the Boston Red Sox finished the 2026 regular season in the bottom five in long balls. Sure, a healthy Roman Anthony would've helped matters, but the Red Sox clearly didn't hit for enough power, and they knew that, as evidenced by their first signing of the offseason, The Red Sox reportedly inked Jake Bauers to a four-year, $58 million deal, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

BREAKING: First baseman Jake Bauers and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a four-year, $58 million contract, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 13, 2026

With the Milwaukee Brewers having extended Bauers a qualifying offer, the Red Sox will need to forfeit two draft picks and $1 million in international bonus money. While this is a risky signing, there's reason to believe it'll pay off, and it'll upset New York Yankees fans in the process, which is always a nice added bonus.

Red Sox need the kind of power Jake Bauers is capable of providing

The signing is risky because Bauers has never done what he did in 2026 before. Prior to hitting his Brewers-leading 26 home runs this season, his career high was 12. Prior to driving in 86 runs, his career high was 48. He had never even appeared in more than 117 games in a single season until he played in 144 of them in 2026. At age 31, Bauers became a full-time starter for the first time at the big-league level this season. It's fair to wonder whether he'll be able to repeat his breakout.

While it's fair to have reservations, Bauers has always had a good eye at the plate, and he had good batted-ball metrics in 2025, even if he didn't play regularly. This season, Bauers ranked in the 98th percentile in walk rate while also ranking in the 90th percentile or higher in virtually every batted-ball metric. His expected numbers were excellent, and his 143 wRC+ ranked seventh among all qualified hitters, ahead of guys like Junior Caminero, James Wood and Elly De La Cruz.

The Red Sox made a big bet on Curtis Mead, a player who had limited MLB success but was breaking out with fantastic advanced metrics with the Washington Nationals. An unfortunate injury ended Mead's season prematurely, but given Boston's Mead pursuit, it isn't shocking that they were eager to sign Bauers.

Bauers showed he has the ability to provide high-end power in the regular season, and he also won the NLCS MVP award for the Brewers, showing that he can hit when it matters most, too. Giving him a four-year deal might backfire towards the end (long deals to power-hitting first basemen over the age of 30 rarely age well), but given how low the AAV is, it's hard not to like the value of this deal. For reference, the qualifying offer Bauers turned down was worth over $23 million. Getting him at a $14.5 million AAV is tidy business for Craig Breslow, and will look even better if a salary cap is put into place.

Projected Red Sox lineup with Jake Bauers shows real improvement

There's a good chance Bauers will DH on most nights for the Red Sox, but he can also give Willson Conteras a blow at first base if needed, and if absolutely necessary, Bauers has experience in both corner outfield spots. He's a DH on this team who doesn't need to DH every day, essentially. His bat sure fits nicely in the middle of the order, though.

All of a sudden, this lineup has four or five players capable of hitting 20+ home runs, and I wouldn't be shocked to see any of Bauers, Contreras, Anthony, or Bauers hit 30 in 2027 (if we get a full season). The shortstop position could use an upgrade, but beyond that, this lineup is quite potent.

And with guys like Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida now destined for bench roles, there's a good chance Breslow will be wheeling and dealing this offseason. Duran, in particular, has been a trade candidate for a while, and this signing makes it even less likely that he'll be back in Boston for 2027.

Jake Bauers signing has a chance to hurt the Yankees most of all

Forget the fact that the Red Sox just addressed their biggest weakness by signing one of the best power hitters available. That, obviously, would hurt the Yankees. Knowing that the Yankees could've had Bauers and have to watch him in Boston, though, really hurts.

Bauers spent the 2023 season with the Yankees and did not play well, slashing .202/.279/.413 with 12 home runs and 30 RBI. The Yankees then traded him to the Brewers that offseason, and a few years later, Bauers popped champagne with Milwaukee. Now, the Yankees are fine without him, given that they have Ben Rice and Luis Garcia Jr., two slugging left-handed-hitting first basemen of their own, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't have any regrets.

Watching Bauers blossom into a star with the Brewers was tough enough. Watching him hit home runs while wearing a Red Sox uniform is nightmare fuel.