There will be a major hole to fill at first base now that NLCS MVP Jake Bauers has departed from Milwaukee on a new four-year deal with the Red Sox. He'll certainly be missed and remembered as somewhat of a folk hero in the eyes of Brewers fans for his legendary season here, but that doesn't mean he was irreplaceable from a production standpoint.
Milwaukee's GM and President of Baseball Operations, Matt Arnold, is adept at finding value where no one suspects it — whether that be by promoting someone from within, calling up a prospect from the minors, or seeking a value opportunity via trades or free agency. Every option will be in play as the Brewers hope to build on their greatest season of all time and establish a dynasty.
First base is too important a position, so any of those options are in play, but several are too easy to pass up without serious consideration up front.
1. The Brewers could promote Andrew Vaughn to starting first baseman.
Beloved by many fans in Milwaukee for his profound ability to mash home runs, but there's more to Vaughn than meets the eye. The 28-year-old was traded from the White Sox to the Brewers in June 2025 and has a .306 batting average with 15 home runs and 89 RBIs in 509 at-bats.
He's been the go-to guy when Jake Bauers missed time, and he's already quite familiar with how Pat Murphy wants his team to play. Unfortunately, he's not proven as a defensive player and isn't always the most patient at the plate, which are the cornerstones of this Brewers team. For those reasons, they might look elsewhere for a full-time starter.
2. Milwaukee could use the regular season to invest in the growth of their No. 5 prospect, Andrew Fischer.
If you've paid any attention to Andrew Fischer in the minor leagues, you'd know this guy can rake. If only it were as simple as that, though. The 22-year-old, listed at both first and third base, has a strong argument as the best batter in the Brewers' pipeline, but he's still completely unproven on defense and strikes out way too often to easily slot into Milwaukee's system in the majors.
They could use the full regular season to work Fischer into that system and help him develop his fielding skills, but it poses a similar problem to Vaughn, so there's a good chance they'll let him play up in the majors and seek a bridge before calling Fischer up to the pros. With that said, though, he might simply be too talented to deny for much longer. Only time will tell.
3. The Brewers could make a surprise trade for Vinnie Pasquantino.
If the Kansas City Royals decide it's time to shift Jac Caglianone back to his natural first base position after starting his career in the outfield, it would make sense for them to move on from Vinnie Pasquantino. The 29-year-old is entering his sixth MLB season with a career .781 OPS and back-to-back seasons posting a 2.4 and 2.5 WAR, he's proven himself as a solid starter in the majors.
Pasquantino is not a superstar pickup that would make Brewers fans jump for joy, but he's a nice under-the-radar pickup who's only making $7.1 million next year, which is more than reasonable for where Milwaukee stands right now, and could potentially fit into Murphy's system well.
4. Milwaukee could find out what Paul Goldschmidt has left in the tank by signing him in free agency.
Even at age 39, former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt was still an effective player for the Yankees this past season, with 52 RBIs and 18 home runs in 105 games in New York. He played on a one-year, $4 million deal last season and is entering unrestricted free agency completely healthy after a solid 2026 campaign.
With seven All-Star appearances, five Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves under his belt over a long and storied career, the one thing that has still eluded him is a World Series win. If he's willing to buy into the system and commit to the culture in Milwaukee, this could be the chance he's been looking for to win a ring and ride off into the sunset as a champion.
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