Rays Should Be in Store for Bounce Back Season From Trade Acquisition on Mound

A relief pitcher acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays last season should be in a position to bounce back on the mound.

Aug 16, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Bryan Baker (47) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have a massive void at the backend of their bullpen that is going to have to be filled next season.

Long-time relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks is no longer the team’s closer. In a surprising move earlier this offseason, they declined the $11 million club option they had on him, opting to instead pay a $1 million buyout, making him a free agent.

Named one of the best trade chips in baseball entering the offseason, the Rays didn’t want to get saddled with that kind of money should they not be able to find a trade partner. After canvassing the league to see where the interest level was, they decided it would be best to cut ties at that point.

With Fairbanks no longer in the mix, manager Kevin Cash has an opening to fill in high-leverage situations. One player whom Tampa Bay will be counting on to help late in games is Bryan Baker.

Bryan Baker struggled to start Rays career

Sep 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker (47) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

A few weeks ahead of the MLB trade deadline in 2025, the Rays pulled off a shocking trade. They sent a draft pick to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Baker. Tampa Bay giving up a long-term asset surprised a lot of people and speaks volumes to how highly they coveted the right-handed pitcher.

Under team control through 2028, Baker has had moments of being a solid, albeit not great, relief pitcher. There must have been something Tampa Bay liked when scouting him to trade away a draft pick.

Unfortunately, the first impression he made with the club wasn’t a strong one. He gave up three runs in his debut with the Rays. Opponents scored on him in four out of his first seven appearances, including three times they recorded multiple runs.

Baker had a 10.80 ERA through his first 6.2 innings, looking like a disastrous addition. Eight earned runs were scored against him, while he issued four walks and two home runs. However, his eight strikeouts were positive.

Bryan Baker's strong finish provides optimism for 2026

Sep 4, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker (47) throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the sixth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Changing teams midseason isn’t an easy thing. Players need to be afforded a little bit of time to adjust to new surroundings. It took a few weeks, but once the calendar flipped to August, Baker looked more like the pitcher Tampa Bay thought it was getting.

Over his final 24 appearances and 23.2 innings pitched, Baker had a 3.04 ERA and 3.09 FIP. He figured out his command issues, walking only four batters to go along with 26 strikeouts. He also surrendered only three home runs, compared to two in July with the Rays.

Returning to Tropicana Field, compared to pitching in the bandbox of Steinbrenner Field, will help Baker immensely. The venue change should help some of his poor underlying metrics, with opponents barreling balls up at an astronomical 12.6% rate in 2025.

His strikeout and walk rates, along with an ability to generate whiffs and chases, indicate that he can find success as a late-inning pitcher. The Rays certainly hope the number translates to production on the mound because Baker is going to be counted on to help fill the Fairbanks void.