In the event that the Minnesota Twins look for options at first base in the free-agent market, my first option remains Jake Bauers for everything you already know. Yes, he is not the typical first baseman from whom you can expect 30 home runs, but he hit 26 with the Milwaukee Brewers in his breakout season and has been an undeniable force this postseason.

Bauers, 30, finished the regular season with career highs in home runs (26), RBI (86), runs scored (93), walk rate (16.3%), and an offensive line of .266/.389/.484, with a 143 wRC+ and 3.6 fWAR. He finished in the 94th percentile in Batting, surprising with his baserunning (82nd percentile) and the quality of his contact.

The improvements in his defense since the second half of the season have placed his status at the top among first basemen who could be available on the market. Next comes Ty France, in the 91st percentile in Batting and the 90th in Fielding, with the most stable performance when it comes to offense and defense, but the San Diego Padres likely won't miss the opportunity to offer him a good deal.

That said, assuming Royce Lewis is not among the internal options, veteran Paul Goldschmidt, 39, who has played his last two seasons with the New York Yankees, seems like an option that could be economical and valuable.

Why Could Goldschmidt Be a Positive Acquisition?

The 2022 season MVP, seven-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and five-time Silver Slugger winner is still doing his job offensively—regularly starting against left-handed pitchers or taking at-bats as a pinch hitter—and would bring great experience to a clubhouse full of young players.

Goldschmidt hit 18 home runs and drove in 52 runs in 105 games in the 2026 season, greater production than his 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 146 games in 2025. That said, in the analysis of his entire season, we should not forget that he went through a difficult stretch when he went 0-for-34 between June 26 and July 8, with 15 strikeouts and just one walk. He then got back into a rhythm and finished the regular season with a .289/.320/.467 line, two doubles, two home runs, and eight RBI in 50 plate appearances over his final 16 games.

Another point in Goldschmidt’s favor is that he once again crushed left-handed pitchers, producing a .967 OPS with a 168 wRC+ and a 12.0 BB% walk rate, well above his .351 slugging, 60 wRC+, and 3.6 BB% marks against right-handers. We also cannot forget Goldy’s other contribution, as he provided solid defense, finishing in the 83rd percentile in Fielding, which could solve some of the other problems the Twins faced.