Should Jake Bauers want to stay with the Milwaukee Brewers, all he has to do is accept the $23.15 million qualifying offer.

Bauers was one of many players to receive a QO ahead of the deadline, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Whether or not Bauers accepts is one thing, but coming off a career year, there's no doubt his value is going to be through the roof.

Bauers may not be the best defensive first baseman in the world, but his clutch postseason at-bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers proved he can compete with the best of them.

Now, all the Brewers can do is sit back and wait as Bauers has until Tuesday, Nov. 17, to accept.

There's a world where Milwaukee tries to work out a long-term deal with Bauers, but there's also a scenario where Bauers declines and seeks free agency.

Dustin May declined his mutual option, and he became one of four free agents for the Brewers heading into the offseason.

JoJo Romero and Brandon Woodruff are also part of that list, though there remains time for the trio of Bauers, Romero, and Big Woo to all return to the Brewers in 2027.

Milwaukee decided to extend the qualifying offer, even though paying one player north of $23 million isn't something they're used to doing.

Remember, Woodruff just made $22 million in 2026, but not even his injury-plagued season could influence the Brewers not to extend an offer to Bauers.

In a world where rumors are swirling about a potential trade for closer Trevor Megill, it's never too early for the Brewers to be focusing on what changes need to be made to move forward.

There's a strong chance the Brewers know Bauers will decline anyways, but then Milwaukee would at least a compensatory draft pick.

Keep in mind, the MLB sets the value for these qualifying offers. It's not like the Brewers were able to offer Bauers one thing while the seven other players to receive one as well would earn a different contract.

Bauers, 31, clearly still has a lot left in the tank, even after a major story of his postseason run was how he nearly retired but didn't so his family could have health insurance.

There was a lot more to it than that, but his past few years in Milwaukee have proved that this is a potential superstar in the making, and it'll be interesting to see what he's worth in free agency, should he decline the QO.