Whether he’s labeled a “closer,” a “relief ace,” or a “high-leverage arm.” One thing is certain with Bryan Baker: he’s been elite in 2026.
The Emergence of Bryan Baker
While many folks are (rightfully) focusing on Mason Miller, Baker is having a tremendous start to the season. The former Oriole has a 3.18 ERA and an xERA of 2.21, suggesting potential for even better results.
Baker was an 11th-round pick by the Rockies in 2016 from the University of North Florida. He was sent to Toronto in 2018 before making his debut in 2021.
The Orioles then claimed him off waivers in November of that year, and he’s been in the majors ever since. The Rays traded a competitive balance draft pick for the righty in July of last season.
The team has since traded for the player the Orioles selected with that pick, Slater de Brun.
But how have the Rays gotten to the point where the former Oriole is their best reliever? Well, unfortunately, it’s been many things, but mostly injuries.
What’s Happened To The Rest of the Bullpen?
Garret Cleavinger and Edwin Uceta are both on the injured list. The former is expected to be back sooner than the latter, but it could take time to get back into the swing of things.
Another reason for Baker’s elevation in status has been Griffin Jax’s severe underperformance. For whatever reason, Jax has been walking hitters and giving up hard contact at a shockingly high rate. This has led to the former Twin to have a FIP of 6.57.
Not great; the Rays have other options, but none quite as good as Baker. Thus, Baker needs to step into this larger role.
How’s Baker’s Pitching Differently Than Last Season?
For one thing, and perhaps most importantly, Baker doesn’t throw his slider nearly as much. Last year, he was using it nearly a quarter of the time. This season? An 8% usage rate.
His changeup and fastball are his bread-and-butter pitches. Both are used over 45% of the time.
His changeup has been devastating, with a 45% whiff rate. But his fastball has seen the biggest jump in performance. Last year, guys had a .355 wOBA off the pitch, while this year it’s been an impressive .218.
All of this has led to a massive jump in success rates across the board. Strikeout rates up, walk rates down, chase and whiff rates up. All of his quality-of-contact marks have dropped drastically.
And this is a case study in why blind reliance on stuff and the best idea might not be. His slider graded out as above average throughout his career, much higher than his fastball.
Not to totally dismiss the metric, as it’s useful when used in the proper context. But Baker has almost ditched the pitch entirely, much to his benefit.
Where Does Baker Fit into the Plans When Everyone Is Healthy?
At this point, it’d be difficult to demote him from his “closer” role. Pete Fairbanks has served in this position for the past couple of seasons. The Rays aren’t a traditional team, but having a designated 9th-inning guy frees up other arms for different scenarios.
Plus, the truth is Baker has been one of their more valuable players in 2026. He could very easily make a run at an All-Star selection. The likely scenario is that he fills that Fairbanks role while everyone else slots into other “high-leverage” arms.
Hopefully, he can continue to perform at this level. Because he’s only 22nd in reliever fWAR up to this point, a ranking that could change with more of the same moving forward. And if so, the Rays could have another reliever success story to add to their lengthy resume.
Main Photo Credits: David Richard-Imagn Images
