In need of bullpen help, the Rays turned to a division rival
The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring RHP Bryan Baker from the Baltimore Orioles per a report from Robert Murray. Thus far in 2025, Baker has a 3.52 ERA | 3.95 FIP with a 32.5 K% & 6.0 BB% over 38 1⁄3 IP.
Baker, 30, had a tremendous, break out season for Baltimore in 2022; however, his results have been mixed since then and he has split the last two seasons between Triple-A and the MLB.
His statcast page tells the story well. His offspeed stuff give him one of the best K-rates in the game, but his fastball is getting barreled at a 40% clip. As a result, he also has the worst barrel results overall in the game.
Expect the Rays to cut back his fastball usage, and/or get him to start putting it above the zone.
In exchange for Baker the Rays are sending the Orioles the 37th overall selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, which was the Rays competitive-balance pick — essentially dealing the probability of a major league player later for a position of need today.
Lest we forget, the Rays did acquire a Comp-A pick in the off-season at No. 42 overall in the Jeffrey Springs trade, so the team still has five picks in the first 100 on Sunday.
Baker is out of options and will enter arbitration for the first time this offseason; he is under team control through the 2028 season. He was originally selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 11th round of the 2016 draft. The Toronto Blue Jays picked him as the player to be named later in the trade that sent Seunghwan Oh to Colorado at the 2018 trade deadline. Baker made his big league debut in 2021, tossing a scoreless inning for Toronto, but was later DFA’d and claimed by Baltimore that winter.
Per the team press release:
To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Richie Palacios (right knee sprain) was transferred from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. The counter move for the active roster has yet to be determined. Baker will wear No. 47.
The Fort Walton Beach, Fla. native is 12-9 with a 3.70 ERA (177.1IP, 73ER), 200 strikeouts and 66 walks over 174 career appearances, including two starts.