Wells locks down save in win over Tigers

With Bryan Baker unavailable with an illness on Saturday, Wells got the call to pitch the ninth in a tie game against the Rangers. He worked around a fielding error to hold Texas off the board and take the game to extras. After Tampa Bay took a three-run lead, he closed out the game with a pair of strikeouts to fall in line for the win.

Baker clearly wasn’t feeling well, and it affected his pitching with two walks and no outs recorded before leaving. The good news is this isn’t arm-related, so there’s a good chance Baker is closing games for the Rays in the coming days. Tyler Wells — who converted Friday’s chance after Baker exited — would likely get the chance if he’s unavailable this weekend.

The ninth inning in this one became a bit of a fiasco when the league-leader in saves, Bryan Baker walked the first two batters before being pulled with an injury. Wells came in to clean up the mess and did so after a sacrifice bunt, sacrifice fly, and pop-up. He earned a handful of saves earlier this season with the Orioles and even grabbed one last week after Baker needed a second day off after working three games in a row. If Baker needs to miss any time, expect Wells to be the Rays’ closer.

Baker has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball, but the right-hander walked a pair of batters before exiting the game with a trainer. Tyler Wells converted the save after Baker exited. There should be an update on the 31-year-old’s status shortly.

Baker was summoned in the top of the ninth to close out the game against the Padres with a one-run lead. He worked around one walk, striking out one batter to shut the door on San Diego for his MLB-leading 39th save.

Baker retired Kevin McGonigle on one pitch before hitting Dillon Dingler in an 0-2 count. After a Ben Malgeri single, the Tigers suddenly had the tying run at the plate with one out. Baker responded by striking out Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson to end the game. It was his 38th save of the year, which leads all of baseball.

Baker gave up a solo homer to Colton Cowser to begin the ninth. It was worrisome after he took the loss in extra innings on Saturday, though that came with the ghost runner starting on second base. Baker then settled down and retired the side on 12 pitches, securing his league-leading 37th save of the season.

Make that 36 saves for Baker this year, which leads MLB and is four more than Riley O’Brien, who ranks second. It has been a tremendous season for the closer, who has a 1.44 ERA. Most of the offseason was spent wondering how Tampa Bay would split save chances among Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger, and Edwin Uceta. While all three have dealt with injury, Baker seized the job early on. His success is a reminder of how tricky it can be to pinpoint a closer when a bullpen lacks an obvious candidate.

Baker was tasked with converting a multi-inning save opportunity for the first time this season, ironically against his former organization. He managed to secure the final two outs of the eighth inning with Tampa Bay leading by one run at the time. He came back out for the final frame and managed to work around a two-out single from Christian Encarnacion-Strand to preserve the win. The 31-year-old journeyman leads the majors with 35 saves in 38 opportunities while also compiling a microscopic 1.47 ERA and 55/16 K/BB ratio across 49 innings of work.

That’s a tough break for the AL Reliever of the Year candidate. Baker, the MLB saves leader with 34 in 37 tries, had gone 48 appearances without taking a loss this season.