Jake Bauers’ foot is still bothering him after he fouled a ball off it during Sunday’s Little League Classic against the Atlanta Braves, but the Brewers first baseman and outfielder said the issue is not serious enough to keep him off the field for long.
Milwaukee held Bauers out of Tuesday’s series opener against the New York Mets, with Andrew Vaughn getting the start at first base and Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell and Luis Lara handling the outfield spots. Even with the swollen foot, Bauers made it clear he should still be available if needed, including in a bench role.
That’s good news for a Brewers club that leans on his versatility. Bauers can cover first base and several outfield positions, giving manager Pat Murphy more ways to piece together a lineup as Milwaukee keeps pushing for the top spot in the National League and the home-field advantage that comes with it.
The timing matters because Bauers has been one of Milwaukee’s best bats this season. In his seventh major-league year, he’s posting career highs across the board, hitting .273 with a .382 on-base percentage and an .884 OPS through 118 games. He’s also put up 23 home runs and 75 RBIs.
His bat has played well against left-handed pitching this year, though he’s been more productive when he has the platoon edge against right-handers. If the swelling settles down, Wednesday could be his next chance to get back into the starting lineup.
The Brewers came into Tuesday at 81-50, winners of three of their last four, with two of those victories coming against Atlanta. They also carry a 30-game magic number to clinch the No. 1 position in the National League and are sitting ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Braves and Chicago Cubs in that race.
Milwaukee has also been especially strong against winning teams, going 43-22 against clubs above .500. The Brewers have already locked up the season series against the Dodgers and hold the edge over the Cubs as well, with seven games still left between Milwaukee and Chicago.
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For Milwaukee, that is the sort of development worth filing away even if the story starts in the betting market. Chourios power potential is part of a broader home run prop board that also leans on Cody Bellinger and Hunter Goodman, but the Brewers interest is obvious when their young outfielder is mentioned with that kind of company. The odds can move, of course, and the bigger takeaway is simple enough: he has become a name opponents have to account for every time he steps into the box. [Read more 🡒]
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The 18-year-old has been on a strong run since moving up to Low-A, enough to earn recognition from MLB Pipeline as the hottest hitting prospect in the Brewers system. For a club that just thinned its outfield pipeline in a major trade, Antunez gives Milwaukee something to keep tracking closely, especially if his recent surge proves to be more than a short-term spike. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy's Tough Standard Is Creating A Real Brewers Debate
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Robert Gasser responded with a strong relief outing after that early hook, and Cooper Pratt got back into the lineup and looked better after his benching. So the question around Milwaukee is not whether Counsell is trying to set a tone, but how far that tone should go and what it means inside a clubhouse where every missed detail can carry a consequence. For a team trying to balance development with winning, that tension is becoming part of the story. [Read more 🡒]