Forget Jake Bauers, the other Brewers first baseman is a better NY Mets match

The first base market got its first real shakeup of the offseason on Friday, as Jake Bauers agreed to a four-year contract worth $58 million with the Boston Red Sox. The reigning NLCS MVP was one of the best bats on the market, removing a popular New York Mets target at a position of need from the board.

Here's the thing, though: Bauers was always something of a questionable fit in Queens. Not only is he a 31-year-old with a spotty track record, but he's also a lousy defender who was attached to the qualifying offer. Signing him certainly would have made the Mets better at first base, but it's not like he was a surefire replacement for Pete Alonso or anything.

In fact, the better cold corner target for the Mets may actually still be looming on the Brewers' roster.

Why NY Mets should make an all-out push for an Andrew Vaughn trade before the lockout

Andrew Vaughn, once the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, has made a name for himself in Milwaukee over the past two years after flaming out with the White Sox. He put together an impressive .869 OPS and 142 wRC+ in 64 games with the Brewers in 2025, which he followed up with a .306/.390/.444 (134 wRC+) slash line this year.

What was particularly impressive about his 2026 output was the reinvention he had to undergo at the plate due to a hamate bone fracture on Opening Day. He returned without his usual power, hitting just six home runs in 104 games, but he morphed into a contact-oriented on-base threat to compensate; he juiced his walk rate to career-high levels, supplementing his improved eye with career-best contact rates both inside and outside the zone.

Through it all, he remained lethal against left-handed pitching, posting a remarkable .938 OPS against southpaws. That kind of profile would make for a perfect platoon with Jared Young, as the Mets' incumbent first baseman had his own breakout season thanks to a 120 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.

Vaughn wouldn't have to be deployed strictly in a platoon role -- his wRC+ against righties this year was 117 -- but he would give the Mets a lot more credibility in the lineup when facing lefties. And the Brewers, who have made a habit out of trading players in their contract years (see: Peralta, Freddy), would likely have little issue facilitating a deal that gets Vaughn's projeceted $8.5 million salary out the door.

If the Mets can't re-sign Vaughn beyond 2027, this would be another short-term solution to the long-term first base problem that has been festering in Queens since Alonso signed with the Orioles. But as far as band-aids go, his synergistic fit with Young makes Vaughn a pretty attractive option on the trade market.

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