The Milwaukee Brewers are under two weeks away from finding out whether or not first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers will decide to accept — or decline — the 2027 qualifying offer.

Bauers' electric 2026 season earned him the qualifying offer from Milwaukee. This means that if he accepts, he'll play the 2027 season in Milwaukee and make just over $23 million. That'd be a pretty big raise after Bauers made $2.7 million in 2026. If Bauers declines and signs a multi-year deal elsewhere, then the Brewers will get a draft pick back in return. The deadline for the decision to be made is Nov. 17, under two weeks away.

What will Bauers do? It's too early to tell, but the perception around the league is positive. For example, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly predicted that Bauers will accept the offer.

"Contract Prediction: Accepts one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer," Kelly wrote. "Team Prediction: Milwaukee Brewers. ... The qualifying offer might suppress Bauers' market enough that he winds up back in Milwaukee. The Brewers are likely content either way. If he leaves, they still have Andrew Vaughn at first base and will collect draft-pick compensation because he declined the qualifying offer. If he takes the offer, though, they get to retain a playoff hero."

Will Jake Bauers Return?

Now, of course, this is one person's prediction. That doesn't guarantee that Bauers will pick up the offer. When it comes to Bauers, it's realistic that he could simply cash in on the one-year deal.

It's a big raise and the 2026 season was the best of his career. If he can have a similar season in 2027, he'd set himself up to get even more cash next year in free agency without a qualifying offer attached to him, meaning a team would lose a draft pick by signing him.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand listed a few different potential landing spots for Bauers and Milwaukee unsurprisingly was one of them. ESPN's David Schoenfield gave Milwaukee fans some hope as well and said to expect the Brewers to "make a run" at keeping Bauers. Tendering the qualifying offer certainly is a step in that direction. Last year, the Brewers tendered the qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff and he accepted it.

This offseason could be the same, but with Bauers this time. There surely will be interest in Bauers on the open market if he declines the qualifying offer. But with one breakout season under his belt, it's not unrealistic to think that Bauers' time in Milwaukee may not be over yet.