Did the Yankees unlock Jake Bauers' potential? The remarkable journey of his revived MLB career

Jake Bauers has become the talk of the town for the New York Yankees. The baseman was initially called up as a replacement for the injured Aaron Judge earlier this season, but he seems to have grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Bauers smashed two homers against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday and is enjoying his best batting season in the MLB.

However, life in the Majors hasn't always been easy for the baseman, who spoke about his struggles before joining the Yankees. In an interview with reporters in April, Bauers said:

“I’ve struggled mentally over the course of my career so far. I did a lot of work on myself to get to a place where I feel like I’m in a good spot.

“Adversity, challenges, failing, succeeding, all of it. I’ve kind of been in a place where I would ride the waves for a little bit. Now I feel like I’m more present with everything I’m doing. I’m more present on the field and I’m kind of just taking everything as it comes."

Although Bauers seems to be hitting his stride for New York, there's a long way to go in the season. The 27-year-old's prime focus will be on helping his team get into the playoffs.

The San Diego Padres picked Jake Bauers in the seventh round of the 2013 MLB draft. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 and made his MLB debut later that year.

Bauers was traded to the Cleveland Guardians in 2018. The player was sent down to AAA in August 2019. He made his first appearance for Cleveland in 2020 but was designated for assignment in June 2021 after struggling with his form.

Bauer was subsequently traded to the Seattle Mariners, and he played with the franchise for a few months before entering free agency. The baseman signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds in December 2021 before joining the Yankees the following year.

Jake Bauers' stats in the 2023 MLB season for New York Yankees

New York Yankees baseman Jake Bauers

Jake Bauers is enjoying his best batting season in 2023. The New York Yankees baseman has recorded 14 hits and five home runs in 59-at bats with a .237 average.

Bauers has helped the Yankees to third in the AL East after the team had a difficult opening few weeks in the campaign. However, the primary aim for New York is to get a spot in the playoffs.