The Baltimore Orioles are off to a terrific start in 2023, compiling 16-8 record as their yearslong rebuild pays dividends at Camden Yards.
Part of that hot start has come courtesy of Orioles newly turned relief pitcher Mike Baumann. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound right-hander had pitched sparingly for the Orioles the past two seasons but made the Opening Day roster this year after he converted to a relief pitcher during spring training.
The Orioles presented the idea to Baumann after he allowed six runs in two innings of work against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 11.
“I had a rough outing against the Blue Jays and after that they called me in and said, ‘Hey, we think this could be the best move for you and the best move for the team,'” Baumann recalled on Glenn Clark Radio April 21. “I said, ‘Hey, whatever I can do to help I’m here for it.'”
Baumann spent five seasons in the minor leagues, mostly as a starting pitcher. He made 97 appearances and 83 starts. The former third-round draft pick established himself as a reliable pitcher during his minor league career, compiling a 30-22 record with a 3.11 ERA and 443 strikeouts.
But the Orioles’ starting rotation picture was crowded this spring, forcing the 27-year-old to transition to relief. Baumann has excelled while embracing his new role with the team. In 10 appearances through April 26, Baumann has a 2-0 record and 0.64 ERA. He has allowed seven hits and one earned run and has struck out 13 batters in 14.0 innings.
In addition to Baumann, the entire Orioles’ pitching staff has been lights out recently. The staff allowed just three runs in 54 innings against the Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers from April 16-23.
“I think you saw it last year, I think the guys in the clubhouse knew what they were capable of doing and then they started to show that,” Baumann said. “This year is like we know we can compete with the best of them, we can win any given night. That’s just contagious and carries over from day in and day out.”
Orioles fans are enjoying their team’s early-season success. Baumann pitched in the Orioles’ 4-0 win against the Nationals in D.C. on April 19 and there were some loud cheers in the ninth inning by the visiting fans, as many Nationals fans had left.
“Oh, it was so cool, it was like a home game,” Baumann said. “You could just feel the buzz in the air. It’s such a cool feeling, it’s hard to describe. But being able to finish the game and just hear the cheers at an away stadium was so cool and so different.”
Even though Baumann and his fellow relief pitchers typically spend much of the game 300-plus feet away from the rest of their teammates, they try to have some fun. The pitchers play games like “would you rather,” but Baumann wants to bring some home run celebrations to the bullpen.
“We’ve talked about trying to get [one of the] hoses they water the field with into the bullpen and whenever we hit a home run and just have a waterworks celebration down in the bullpen,” Baumann said.
Relievers do eventually have to get ready to roll, however.
“For the first few innings of a game the bullpen tries to keep it light, and then as soon as that phone starts ringing everyone locks in. That’s when the lights turn on and it’s just focus, tunnel vision,” Baumann said. “That’s when the adrenaline starts to hit.”
For more from Baumann, listen to the full interview here:
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