Bryan

Baker

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.

Rays closer Bryan Baker was also off on Tuesday, but he had thrown three days in a row prior to that, so the team was likely being cautious with their closer. Baker has an MLB-leading 38 saves, so there is no controversy here. What is worth noting is that Kevin Kelly had not pitched in the last two days, but he was used for two innings in this game, which allowed Wells to get the chance to close out his fifth save of the season.

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.

Someone fire off an arrow: Baker has converted 23 straight save chances, breaking the Rays record of 22 in a row set by Fernando Rodney in 2012. He has four more saves than anyone else in the majors.

Julio Rodríguez homered with two outs in the ninth, but the Rays had a two-run lead to work with, and Baker struck out the other three batters he faced. Baker is currently in ninth place on the Rays’ single-season saves list. He’s still 15 behind Fernando Rodney for the franchise record, but 33 is the team’s highest total since Alex Colome finished with 47 in 2017.

Baker was summoned with a two-run lead in the bottom of the 11th inning for a save chance against the Rockies. He slammed the door, stranding the runner on second by striking out two batters to close out the game with his MLB-leading 32nd save.