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

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

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In the aftermath of a 3-0 win over the Rangers on Wednesday evening, Ryan Vilade said he did not want to face Bryan Baker. The Rays’ infielder/outfielder shares a clubhouse with the righthanded closer, so stepping into the batter’s box against him is not a concern. For Rays’ opponents, facing Baker has been a nightmare.

“To see ‘Big Bake’ running in from the bullpen with the lights (flashing on and off) and (music) playing, it gets everyone fired up,” said Vilade, whose exceptional work (9 HR, 35 RBI, .804 OPS) in a part-time role has often aided the Rays in getting to their closer. “I’m glad he’s on our team and whenever we get to the ninth with him on the bump, we feel pretty good.”

For good reason. The 6-foot-6 Baker nailed down his 30^th save of the season in the series finale with Texas on Thursday afternoon to tie Cleveland’s Cade Smith for the MLB lead. The 31-year-old heads into a weekend series versus the visiting White Sox having converted 19 straight save opportunities, a stretch that began May 17. During that span, which totals 24 appearances, Baker has allowed one run. That was a solo homer to Kansas City’s Josh Rojas on June 24, which Baker shrugged off to record his 20^th save.

“I have been feeding off the catchers and going for what they see and what they’ve kind of seen the whole game, and let the defenders work behind me,” said Baker, when asked about the run he is on, in referring to Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia. “It’s been a lot more (pitching to) contact lately, which as long as there’s zeros are on board, I’m good.”

Baker, who is averaging less than a strikeout per inning since the all-star break, albeit in only six appearances, took a miniscule 1.49 ERA and 0.87 WHIP into a celebratory clubhouse Thursday when he walked two batters before recording the save. That is noteworthy because it represents half his bases on balls in a stretch of 19 appearances dating to Memorial Day weekend. He has been that good for that long.

“He’s been outstanding for us,” said manager Kevin Cash. “He is so impressive and not a guy that had a lot of saves coming into the season. Some spotty opportunities here and there. He has really settled into that role pitching the back end of our games.”

Baker had four saves in 205 career MLB appearances prior to this season, three of them last year, including one with the Rays after being acquired from Baltimore in early July for a draft pick. (With the selection, No. 37 overall, the Orioles took Slater de Brun. The high school outfielder was traded back to Tampa Bay five months later as part of the deal for Shane Baz.) Entering this season without a closer, though with the hope one among a few candidates would step up to fulfill that role, the Rays went about things on a committee basis. Baker emerged from a collection of arms in early April and joined Alex Colome (2017) and Fernando Rodney (2012) as the third player in team history to record 30 saves by August 1.

“He was a good pitcher in Baltimore, but now he’s a Tampa Bay surprise and he’s done an extraordinary job for us this entire season,” said designated hitter Yandy Diaz.

Baker has been quite the pleasant surprise. In fact, he made the trip to Philly for the all-star game and has come out the other side just as effective despite a 12-day stretch between appearances resulting from the break and not being utilized during a post-break four-game series in Boston in which the Rays were swept with no ninth inning leads to protect.

Baker, who recorded the final out in the American League’s 4-0 win in the mid-summer classic, noted he had some rust to shrug off. Not that anyone would know it based on how well he has continued to perform. Still, he needed to keep sharp.

“It’s something that I’ve gotten better at combating as my career has gone along in terms of just grabbing a catcher and throwing a little side, a little like touch-and-feel bullpen every two or three days if I don’t get any game action,” he said when asked how he dealt with the down time. “That's kind of the best you can do sometimes. Try to replicate a batter or two in order to at least get some feel and try to exute pitches. Other than that, it is just relying on your routine and hope you're in the zone and back to the way you were.”

Baker certainly is.