Baumann was released by the Marlins on Monday and later signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Baumann was the definition of a journeyman in 2024, making stops with the Orioles, Angels, Marlins, Mariners and Giants. He didn't pitch particularly well, posting a 5.55 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with a 58:28 K:BB across 58.1 frames, so he'll look for a better outcome overseas in 2025.
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Marlins' Mike Baumann: Back from paternity leave
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The Marlins activated Baumann from the paternity list Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Baumann missed the series against the Twins earlier this week while welcoming a new addition to the family, but he will be back in the bullpen for the Marlins' final games of the season in Toronto. He has allowed 10 runs with a 17:4 K:BB over 12.1 innings during his time with Miami.
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Marlins' Mike Baumann: Placed on paternity leave
Rotowire
The Marlins placed Baumann on the paternity list Tuesday.
Baumann will likely miss the three-game series with the Twins before rejoining the team this weekend in Toronto. He has allowed 10 runs but boasts a 17:4 K:BB over 12.1 innings since being claimed off waivers by the Marlins last month.
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Angels' Mike Baumann: Traded to Halos
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The Angels acquired Baumann from the Giants on Tuesday in exchange for cash, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
San Francisco designated Baumann for assignment Saturday, but he'll regain a 40-man roster spot with a new organization. He's out of minor-league options and thus will need to be added to the Angels' 26-man active roster. The right-hander reliever holds a 4.84 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 35.1 innings across 36 appearances with the Giants, Mariners and Orioles.
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Giants' Mike Baumann: DFA'd by Giants
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The Giants designated Baumann for assignment Saturday.
Baumann was acquired by San Francisco via trade Sunday after being designated for assignment by the Mariners on July 19. He surrendered two runs in two-thirds of an inning for the Giants. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, Baumann should be expected to remain in the Giants organization. Spencer Bivens was called up in a corresponding move.
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Mariners' Mike Baumann: Nabs win after blown save
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Baumann (3-0) allowed two runs on two hits in one inning Sunday. He struck out three and earned a win after blowing a save chance against Kansas City.
Baumann coughed up a game-tying, two-run shot to MJ Melendez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Fortunately for Baumann, the Mariners tallied three runs in the 10th inning to give him the win. Prior to Sunday's outing, he'd pitched 5.2 innings without allowing an earned run since joining Seattle. He now owns a 3.24 ERA with a 24:12 K:BB through 25 total innings this season. Andres Munoz returned from a back injury Sunday and should see most of the ninth-inning work moving forward, assuming he's healthy.
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Mariners' Mike Baumann: Sent to Seattle
Rotowire
The Orioles traded Baumann and catcher Michael Perez to the Mariners on Wednesday in exchange for catcher Blake Hunt.
The 28-year-old righty was squeezed off the Orioles' 40-man roster Saturday to make room for Grayson Rodriguez's return from the injured list, and Baumann will now find a new home in the Seattle bullpen. He sports a 3.44 ERA and 1.47 WHIP alongside a 16:9 K:BB through 18.1 frames and should settle in as a middle reliever.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: DFA'd by O's
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The Orioles designated Baumann for assignment Saturday.
Baumann doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so the Orioles had to remove him from their 40-man roster in order to create room on the big-league squad for Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder), who came off the injured list Saturday. Baumann has posted a 3.44 ERA and 1.47 WHIP across 18.1 innings this season and could attract interest on the waiver wire from teams in need of bullpen help.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Snags win Wednesday
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Baumann (1-0) earned the win Wednesday over the Red Sox, allowing a hit and striking out three without walking a batter in a scoreless inning.
Baumann benefited from the Orioles' rally in the seventh inning after he pitched the sixth. This was just his second scoreless outing of the campaign, as he's had some struggles with control so far. Baumann has allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with a 6:4 K:BB over four innings through five appearances, and he has one blown save on his ledger. The right-hander is likely to remain in a low-leverage role.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Likely for low-leverage role
Rotowire
Baumann has struck out two without allowing a baserunner over two innings in Grapefruit League play.
Baumann made the full-time move to the bullpen last season. Ironically, that led to him collecting 10 wins, his most in a single season at any level since he had 13 victories in 2018 between Single-A and High-A. Last season's elevated win count was likely an anomaly -- Baumann's most probable to pitch in middle relief, making favorable decisions hard to forecast. He also had six holds, a 3.76 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 61:33 K:BB over 64.2 innings in 2023, numbers that could suggest regression is on the horizon.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Left off ALDS roster
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Baumann isn't listed on Baltimore's roster for their ALDS matchup against the Rangers, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
After putting up a 3.76 ERA and 1.31 WHIP through 64.1 innings, the Orioles optioned Baumann to Triple-A Norfolk on Sept. 22. He'll remain off the big-league roster as the O's begin their playoff run but could provide a fresh bullpen arm should they make it past Texas.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Sent packing to Triple-A
Rotowire
Baumann was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Friday, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.
He'd pitched each of the previous two days, so the righty is being sent out in favor of a fresh relief arm in Tyler Wells. Baumann won't be eligible for recall before the end of the regular season unless he's replacing an injured player.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Collects ninth win
Rotowire
Baumann (9-0) pitched 1.2 perfect innings to earn the win Friday over the Mets. He did not walk or strike out a batter.
Baumann cleaned up Dean Kremer's mess with a double play to end the sixth inning before tossing a clean seventh. Since the start of July, Baumann has earned four of his nine wins while pitching to a 1.29 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 14 innings. He's at a 3.31 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 54:28 K:BB through 54.1 innings overall while working in somewhat of a fireman role in the middle innings.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Earns win Sunday
Rotowire
Baumann (7-0) walked two and struck out two without allowing a hit over 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win over the Rays on Sunday.
Baumann has allowed just one unearned run over his last 11.2 innings, collecting three wins, a hold and a blown save in 10 appearances in that span. He's also posted a 12:9 K:BB in that stretch, but the elevated walk rate has yet to come back to haunt him. He's at a 3.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 52:28 K:BB through 49 innings this season, emerging as a reliable multi-inning option for manager Brandon Hyde.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Secures fifth win
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Baumann (5-0) earned the extra-inning win Saturday over the Mariners, striking out two in a perfect inning.
Baumann kept the game tied in the top of the 10th inning, setting up Ryan McKenna's walk-off home run a half-inning later. Over 10 appearances in June, Baumann has allowed four runs in 8.1 innings while collecting a win and three holds. He's at a modest 4.23 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 42:19 K:BB through 38.1 innings this season, mainly in a middle-relief role. Working as a full-time reliever has helped him increase his velocity to 96.7 mph on average, up one tick from last season, when he split time between the rotation and bullpen.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Snags first win
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Baumann (1-0) walked one and struck out two without allowing a run in two-thirds of an inning to earn the win Friday over the White Sox.
Baumann got the last two outs of the sixth in relief of starter Tyler Wells. Baumann walked the bases loaded, but he was able to escape the jam, and the Orioles rallied for the lead in the top of the seventh. This is Baumann's first season working as a full-time reliever after coming up through the minors as a starter. So far, he's done reasonably well with a 1.23 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB across 7.1 innings, but his low-leverage role isn't one to attract fantasy managers.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Shifting roles
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Manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday that Baumann will be used as a traditional reliever moving forward, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Baumann had been in competition for a rotation spot, but he has struggled significantly with five walks and eight earned runs allowed across eight frames this spring. He worked in relief in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays and turned in a clean inning with one strikeout. Baumann should not be expected to work in a high-leverage role to begin the season.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Works four innings
Rotowire
Baumann allowed two earned runs on six hits and no walks while striking out two across four innings Thursday against the Red Sox. He did not factor into the decision.
Baumann made his second consecutive turn through the rotation and was limited to 74 pitches as a result. Both of the earned runs against him came in the fourth inning, when he allowed two doubles and a single. Baumann will likely get a final start prior to the close of the regular season, and he's allowed a combined four earned runs with a 4:2 K:BB across his last two starts spanning eight innings.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Optioned after spot start
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Baumann was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk following his spot start in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports. He gave up three earned runs on eight hits and zero walks while striking out two in five innings to take the loss in the Blue Jays' 7-3 victory.
The innings total was a season high for Baumann in the majors, as he had typically been pitching out of the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever. He will continue to operate as a swingman or serve as organizational bullpen depth over the final month of the season.
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Orioles' Mike Baumann: Coming up for spot start
Rotowire
Baumann will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Blue Jays at Camden Yards, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Baumann will be making his first career MLB start Monday, with his previous 11 appearances with Baltimore over the past two seasons coming as a reliever. Over the past three months at Norfolk, Baumann has compiled a 2.76 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 45.2 innings, and he delivered his best start of the season his last time out Aug. 31. In that start against Lehigh Valley, Baumann tossed six innings and allowed one unearned run while striking out 13.
