After completing a 103-win season and finishing with the best record in baseball for the second season in a row, the Milwaukee Brewers are enjoying the fruits of their labor with some much-needed time off before their playoff run begins.

While the team shares a common goal of reaching the mountaintop, first baseman Jake Bauers is also playing to determine the value of his next contract.

Bauers is playing the 2026 season on a one-year, $2.7 million deal. It has been a strong campaign for the 30-year-old, but the job is not finished yet.

In his seventh MLB season and third with the Brewers, Bauers appeared in 144 games and logged a .266 batting average, a .389 on-base percentage, a .485 slugging percentage and a .873 OPS. All of those numbers were career-high marks, which puts him in a good position to earn a nice payday.

This season, Bauers has proved his worth. The Brewers may want to invest in him for the long term, but those upcoming contract talks may be partly determined by how Bauers plays in October.

The Brewers are going to need this production from Bauers more than ever when they begin postseason play on Oct. 3. Milwaukee has shown incredible success and potential for what could be a great playoff run, but it is going to take everyone involved to make it happen.

At his age, Bauers still has some quality seasons in front of him. However, this could be his one chance to secure a long-term, lucrative contract. Moreover, he has to show the Brewers that he is worth retaining.

Milwaukee's front office is not one that prioritizes paying big money to aging players. Its system of success has been predicated on maximizing young talent and utilizing it in a way that makes the team a dominant force. 

Given the season that Bauers has had, there is no reason to believe that he will not perform when the Brewers need him the most. Nevertheless, this is a big stage, and the pressure will be amplified.

Even if Bauer ends up somewhere else in free agency, potential suitors will be looking at how he performs in the playoffs. Contenders who may be interested in him will especially look at his postseason play. 

Bauers may be on the brink of earning life-changing money, and he has done most of the work to earn it. Now, he must put the proverbial cherry on top.