Jake Bauers reportedly agrees to $58 million deal with Red Sox after helping lead Brewers to World Series

The Boston Red Sox have made the offseason's first major free agent signing. The Red Sox and first baseman Jake Bauers have agreed to a four-year contract worth $58 million, reports ESPN. The team has not yet announced the signing.

Bauers, 31, broke out with the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers this past season, authoring a .266/.389/.484 batting line with 26 home runs that more than doubled his previous career high (12). He was named the NLCS MVP during Milwaukee's title run thanks to a 4 for 14 (.286) effort. Bauers drove in seven runs in the four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Red Sox desperately needed a power bat and certainly added one with Bauers. Their 163 home runs this past season were the fifth fewest in baseball and three players — Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras and Jarren Duran — accounted for 71 of those 163 home runs. Boston's lineup figures to look something like this with Bauers now added:

That leaves Duran without a full-time position and makes a trade or even a non-tender more likely. Franklin Arias, one of the very best prospects in the minors, could debut early next season and wrestle the shortstop…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/