Shane Baz isn’t trying to be perfect anymore.
Instead, the soon-to-be 27-year-old right-hander has found success by simplifying his approach. Throughout the past month, he has narrowed his focus to attacking the strike zone, getting ahead in counts and focusing only on the pitch in front of him.
The result has been the strongest stretch of Baz’s season, with improved command helping him emerge as a stabilizing force in the starting rotation.
Baz is 2-1 so far this month, posting 10 strikeouts and a 2.55 ERA to bring his season mark down to 4.06 while consistently pitching deeper into games.
“Anytime that I stay super focused, not think about external stuff and just take it one pitch at a time and not let whatever’s happened during the game, good or bad, affect me in the way I’m thinking and attacking, I pitch way better,” Baz said. “My execution rate is way higher than when I’m thinking about maybe what happened a few batters before or what’s happened during the game.”
The biggest difference in Baz’s recent success has been his ability to get ahead of hitters and stay there. That progress represents a subtle but important shift in mindset.
Earlier in his career, Baz often found himself chasing strikeouts. Now, he’s focused on winning the first pitch and creating quick outs rather than trying to overpower every hitter he faces.
“That’s a really dangerous game to play,” Baz said. “I’ve been there before, and I never really strike everyone out. So, it’s kind of the wrong mindset to have. I think whenever I’m trying to throw strike one, the first pitch of the at-bat, and then try to end every at-bat in three pitches or less, is when I get those quick outs. And I can go into the seventh, eighth inning.”
The improvements haven’t been limited to Baz’s mental state. A deeper arsenal has also played a major role in this development.
The knuckle curveball has become one of Baz’s most effective weapons recently, giving him another option to finish at-bats once he gets ahead in the count. Baz said that pitch started clicking for him roughly a month into the season, as he continuously refined his release point.
“It felt like I had my release point of when I wanted to throw it for a strike and when I wanted to throw it below the zone,” Baz said. “I started to kind of get a feel for that and [was] able to do it a little more consistently. There’s definitely days where it doesn’t feel amazing or perfect. But I think as a whole it’s been really good for the last month.”
Baz’s curveball is amplified by what he does with his fastball.
Armed with a four-seamer averaging 96.2 mph, Baz has long possessed the raw stuff to overwhelm hitters. The difference lately has been his ability to command it, forcing opposing batters to respect the fastball before having to account for a growing mix of secondary pitches.
“His arsenal has opened up a little bit,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “He’s added the sinker. The changeup has come on as of late. Obviously, the four-seam and the curveball has been his calling card. He has the cutter as well, and he’s been throwing a ton of strikes with both.”
As his confidence has grown on the mound, Baz is becoming increasingly comfortable in the clubhouse as well.
While he’s still settling into the organization since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in December 2025, Baz said the group’s chemistry — especially outfielder Leody Taveras’ unique brand of dry humor — has helped make the transition easier.
“The group of guys we have in the clubhouse is just incredible,” Baz said. “It’s not just great players, but it’s great people. It’s kind of a rare thing, I feel like. Just our staff is so great. We’re just learning everybody better and better. I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable since Opening Day.”
For Baz, the recent success isn’t about reinventing himself. It’s about refining the traits that made him one of baseball’s most promising young arms in the first place.
While he has taken meaningful steps forward in the past month, both he and the Orioles believe there is still another level for him to reach.
“Shane is, just like all of our guys, still trying to reach their potential,” Albernaz said. “And there’s always little development that you can go into, whether it be command, efficiency, adding pitches. Shane is starting to hit his stride now, and his confidence is through the roof.”
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