Bryan ‘Big Bake’ Baker Dominates As Tampa Bay Rays’ Closer

Jul 31, 2026 06:14 AM - 2 hours ago 2

In the aftermath of a 3-0 triumph complete the Rangers connected Wednesday evening, Ryan Vilade said he did not want to look Bryan Baker. The Rays’ infielder/outfielder shares a clubhouse pinch the righthanded closer, truthful stepping into the batter’s container against him is not a concern. For Rays’ opponents, facing Baker has been a nightmare.

“To spot ‘Big Bake’ moving successful from the bullpen pinch the lights (flashing connected and off) and (music) playing, it gets everyone fired up,” said Vilade, whose exceptional activity (9 HR, 35 RBI, .804 OPS) successful a part-time domiciled has often aided the Rays successful getting to their closer. “I’m gladsome he’s connected our squad and whenever we get to the ninth pinch him connected the bump, we consciousness beautiful good.”

For bully reason. The 6-foot-6 Baker nailed down his 30th prevention of the play successful the bid finale pinch Texas connected Thursday day to necktie Cleveland’s Cade Smith for the MLB lead. The 31-year-old heads into a play bid versus the visiting White Sox having converted 19 consecutive prevention opportunities, a agelong that began May 17. During that span, which totals 24 appearances, Baker has allowed 1 run. That was a solo homer to Kansas City’s Josh Rojas connected June 24, which Baker shrugged disconnected to grounds his 20th save.

“I person been feeding disconnected the catchers and going for what they spot and what they’ve benignant of seen the full game, and fto the defenders activity down me,” said Baker, erstwhile asked astir the tally he is on, successful referring to Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia. “It’s been a batch much (pitching to) interaction lately, which arsenic agelong arsenic there’s zeros are connected board, I’m good.”

Baker, who is averaging little than a strikeout per inning since the all-star break, albeit successful only six appearances, took a miniscule 1.49 ERA and 0.87 WHIP into a celebratory clubhouse Thursday erstwhile he walked 2 batters earlier signaling the save. That is noteworthy because it represents half his bases connected balls successful a agelong of 19 appearances making love to Memorial Day weekend. He has been that bully for that long.

“He’s been outstanding for us,” said head Kevin Cash. “He is truthful awesome and not a feline that had a batch of saves coming into the season. Some spotty opportunities present and there. He has really settled into that domiciled pitching the backmost extremity of our games.”

Baker had 4 saves successful 205 profession MLB appearances anterior to this season, 3 of them past year, including 1 pinch the Rays aft being acquired from Baltimore successful early July for a draught pick. (With the selection, No. 37 overall, the Orioles took Slater de Brun. The precocious schoolhouse outfielder was traded backmost to Tampa Bay 5 months later arsenic portion of the deal for Shane Baz.) Entering this play without a closer, though pinch the dream 1 among a fewer candidates would measurement up to fulfill that role, the Rays went astir things connected a committee basis. Baker emerged from a postulation of arms successful early April and joined Alex Colome (2017) and Fernando Rodney (2012) arsenic the 3rd subordinate successful squad history to grounds 30 saves by August 1.

“He was a bully pitcher successful Baltimore, but now, he’s a Tampa Bay astonishment and he’s done an bonzer occupation for america this full season,” said designated hitter, Yandy Diaz.

Baker has been rather the pleasant surprise. In fact, he made the travel to Philly for the all-star crippled and has travel retired the different broadside conscionable arsenic effective contempt a 12-day agelong betwixt appearances resulting from the break and not being utilized during a post-break four-game bid successful Boston successful which the Rays were swept pinch nary ninth inning leads to protect.

Baker, who recorded the last retired successful the American League’s 4-0 triumph successful the mid-summer classic, noted he had immoderate rust to motion off. Not that anyone would cognize it based connected really good he has continued to perform. Still, he needed to support sharp.

“It’s thing that I’ve gotten amended astatine combating arsenic my profession has gone on successful position of conscionable grabbing a catcher and throwing a small side, a small for illustration touch-and-feel bullpen each 2 aliases 3 days if I don’t get immoderate crippled action,” he said erstwhile asked really he dealt pinch the down time. “That's benignant of the champion you tin do sometimes. Try to replicate a batter aliases 2 successful bid to astatine slightest get immoderate consciousness and effort to exute pitches. Other than that, it is conscionable relying connected your regular and dream you're successful the area and backmost to the measurement you were.”

Baker surely is.