Bryan Baker Powers Rays Into ALCS After Closing Out Yankees Sweep

Bryan Baker has turned the ninth inning into Tampa Bay’s safest room, and the Rays will carry that certainty into the American League Championship Series after their sweep of the Yankees.

The 31-year-old right-hander closed each of Tampa Bay’s three American League Division Series victories, protecting one-run leads in Games 1 and 3 and a three-run margin in Game 2. His latest finish came Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, where he struck out Trent Grisham on a changeup with two outs and two strikes to seal a 4-3 win.

After the final swing, Baker walked off the mound and embraced catcher Liam Hicks. The road setting did not change the result. Neither did the size of the lead.

A closer built on repetition

Baker faced 10 Yankees in the Division Series, allowing only a walk while striking out four. He did not give up a hit.

Since saves became an official statistic in 1969, only four pitchers have recorded saves in each of their club’s first three postseason games: Manny Corpas in 2007, Mark Wohlers in 1996, and Dennis Eckersley in 1988 and 1996, along with Baker. Baker stands alone among that group as the only pitcher to do it without allowing a hit.

Manager Kevin Cash said the confidence around the club changes when Baker is available for the late innings.

“We’ve talked about it a lot, but probably not enough,” Cash said. “When you look at his numbers and the saves in a row, there’s so much confidence when we have a late lead, especially going into the ninth. Is there another team that should feel better than us?”

That assurance has been built over the entire season. Baker finished tied with Cleveland’s Cade Smith for the Major League lead with 41 saves, joining Alex Colomé in 2017 as the only Rays pitchers to lead the Majors in that category.

The longest line on his résumé may be the 33 straight save chances he has converted since May 17, the longest such streak at any point in Rays history. His last blown save came May 13, in Tampa Bay’s 42nd game. He took two losses after that date, both in extra innings, but did not allow an earned run in either outing.

Two pitches, full conviction

Baker arrived in Tampa Bay after working previously as an Orioles reliever, and the Rays did not leave Spring Training intending to assign a conventional closer. He made the job his anyway.

His formula remains lean: a fastball and a changeup. The Rays have asked him to lean into his best weapons, and Baker has answered with a season defined by command, conviction and increasingly animated celebrations after the final out.

“For a lot of people, including me, it’s a confidence game,” Baker said. “When the people around you give you that confidence and belief, it raises your game. When you feel that sure of yourself, you believe you can stay consistent and keep doing what you do well.”

Veteran starter Nick Martinez sees the edge Baker brings every time the bullpen gate opens late.

“He’s a rock, man. He’s a maniac,” Martinez said. “He’s been delivering for us all year, and it’s really fun to watch.”

Martinez added that Baker’s value has been impossible for the Rays to overlook. “He’s come through for us all season,” he said. “We can’t say enough about how great he’s been.”

Now comes the ALCS

Baker earned his first postseason save before a sold-out Tropicana Field crowd in Game 1 last Saturday, returned after a day off to finish Game 2, then handled the Yankee Stadium noise in Game 3.

He admitted the final out in New York hit differently.

“That was another level of excitement,” Baker said with a smile. “Usually I black out for about three seconds. I think it was 10 seconds after that one. To get into all three games and finish all three is really special to me. I just want to keep it going.”

Tampa Bay, sitting atop the American League and headed to its third ALCS appearance in franchise history, will ask Baker to keep doing the same thing: take the ball with a lead, trust the fastball and changeup, and make the ninth inning his own.