The Cactus League spring training slate for the Milwaukee Brewers came to an end on Sunday with a 12-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Now, players can reflect on their performances, and one player who took the time to do that with the media is first baseman Jake Bauers. 

Bauers’ spring training slate ended before the organization had collectively concluded it, as many regulars were not available for Sunday’s game due to heading back to Milwaukee to gear up for a pair of exhibition games against the Cincinnati Reds ahead of Opening Day on Thursday.

Therefore, Bauers provided his comments on Friday. 

“Yeah, I mean I feel good about it,” Bauers told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other media members. "I think the thing that I feel the best about is the consistency of it. I've really just been trying to focus on a day-to-day approach and been successful with that. So, just hoping to carry that mindset into the regular season.” 

Bauers, 30, went 16-for-34 with five doubles, six home runs, seven strikeouts, and seven walks. His numbers notched him a 1.728 OPS, indicative of a dominant offensive stretch. 

For Bauers, a shift in mentality helped open his game and lead to the results he produced.  

“I mean, obviously getting results is never going to tell you it's a bad thing,” he said. “But I think for me this spring, I didn't want to think about mechanics at all. That was my goal and that's kind of unlocked a little bit of my mind, I think.

“So, I'm able to focus on actually playing baseball a little bit more," Bauers continued. "And that goes along with the whole day-to-day approach too. So just trying to put all that together and carry it out throughout the regular season is going to be a challenge for sure, but I think I have a good base.” 

Bauers has been in the majors since 2018 and is entering his sixth active season. In that time, his work has been predicated on one thing, but that has changed heading into this season.  

“It's definitely different for me because the past, I don't know, six, seven seasons, it's been kind of the main focus of all my work has been mechanics,” Bauers said. “And then I feel like they got to a spot where there was nothing left to do. There was nothing left to focus on.  

“So, it was really how much can I get out of my own way and what does that look like?" Bauers said. "And so that's what I was focusing on this spring. And like I said, I think we got to a good spot.” 

Last season, Bauers appeared in 85 games for Milwaukee and hit .235 with seven home runs. He also logged 28 RBIs and a .752 OPS. This spring, he has tried to adjust to ball placement, which has led to more hits to the opposite field.  

“I'm trying to stay inside the ball, trying to hit the inside of the ball,” he said. “With that, I think naturally comes a little bit more opposite field balls in play. I don't care where they go as long as I'm accurate, short and inside of it.” 

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