The Milwaukee Brewers, entering Thursday, October 15, are one win away from making the World Series. There are plenty of reasons why they've gotten to this point.

But one of the biggest contributors to the season as a whole is Jake Bauers. He's having a breakout season for the Brewers and is also a free agent once the season is up. With his postseason resume so far, his free agency is sure to be quite a challenge for the Brewers.

Robert Murray of Fansided.com highlighted how Bauers is going to make for a very interesting question for the Brewers this offseason, specifically regarding his qualifying offer, and what the Brewers do with it this offseason.

Brewers have a fascinating Jake Bauers free agent question to answer this offseason

"Bauers, according to multiple rival executives, is one of the most interesting qualifying offer decisions of this upcoming free agent class," Murray writes. "And if he is extended the QO, could he pull a Trent Grisham and accept it, ensuring that he has financial certainty ahead of the lockout? This is one that plenty of folks are watching."

For the Brewers, they would surely love to find a way to keep Bauers around long-term. The 30-year-old has done more than enough this season, especially with his playoff heroics so far, to justify Milwaukee bringing him back.

Of course, it's going to cost a lot to do so. A qualifying offer would likely eclipse $22 million, as it did last year. 

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The question for the Brewers this offseason? Will they extend a qualifying offer to Bauers or let him test the open market?

If they do extend it, Bauers might accept the QO to guarantee he gets a strong salary for one season after a breakout 2026 campaign with 26 homers, 86 RBIs, and an impressive .266/.389/.484 slash line

While this isn't a question for the Brewers just yet, every great playoff moment for Bauers adds to an already impressive resume as he heads into free agency.

In the meantime, the Brewers and Bauers will try to close out the NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers to make the World Series, where they'd face either the Tampa Bay Rays or the Cleveland Guardians for a chance at the franchise's first championship.

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