Why Jake Bauers Was the Obvious Choice for Brewers NLCS MVP

Jake Bauers' ability to step up in big situations throughout the NLCS resulted in him being named the series MVP.

Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers (9) celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Brewers are headed for their first World Series since 1982. With a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Brewers will try to win their first ever World Series championship.

For the National League Championship Series, there was only one clear choice for MVP. That was first baseman Jake Bauers. Bauers went 4-for-14 at the plate in the NLCS, but provided the three biggest at-bats of the series. He totaled six RBI in the four games.

As he was announced the series MVP, his teammates serenaded him with "M-V-P" chants.

Why Jake Bauers Was The Right MVP Choice

Most championship series MVP winners hit better than .286, but Bauers turned in three of the most critical at-bats of the series. He had a 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2, an 11-pitch home run against Blake Snell in Game 3, and two critical at-bats to complete the comeback in Game 4.

Bauers' home run in Game 3 completely flipped the flow of the series. With the Brewers trailing 2-1, the 31-year-old outlasted Snell and delivered a brutal haymaker. It sucked out all the energy in Dodger Stadium and became the first moment where a sweep felt inevitable.

The journeyman first baseman had played for four clubs and never found sustained success. Bauers had planned to retire, but decided to sign with the Brewers as he and his wife welcomed their second child. That decision went great in hindsight, as he's enjoyed a 2026 breakout campaign and is now an NLCS MVP.

Perhaps no player best resembles the Brewers' ability to unearth hidden talent than Bauers. He had been a seventh-round pick who had bounced around the league. But once he got to Milwaukee, he found the sustained success that eluded him throughout his career.

What the Bauers Family Said About the NLCS

Despite trailing in all four games, the Brewers found a way to win. It marked the first time in a four-game sweep in which the winning team trailed in every game.

"There was never a doubt," said Bauers. "There was never a doubt what was going to happen in the dugout tonight. We knew we were going to win that game."

As part of the postgame celebration, Bauers and his family came on the postgame set on FS1's broadcast.

Bauers is a Southern California native. Naturally, his parents came over to Dodger Stadium to watch their son play. Jake's father was sporting a Rake Bauers T-shirt, which has become a good luck charm of late.

"I have no words," said Stu Bauers. "There's no word that can put in the pride, the joy."