After their bullpen allowed three runs to the Yankees, the Seattle Mariners traded for reliever Mike Baumann from the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jeff Passan. The Mariners sent catcher Blake Hunt to the Orioles in exchange for Baumann, who had been designated for assignment by Baltimore to make room for Grayson Rodriguez.
Baumann, a 28-year-old right-hander, posted a 3.44 ERA in 17 relief appearances this season and has a career record of 13-5 with a 4.45 ERA over parts of four seasons with the Orioles. With a solid ground-ball rate and a fastball averaging over 96 MPH, Baumann is expected to bolster the Mariners’ middle relief.
The Mariners, currently leading the AL West, have the option to send down Eduard Bazardo or Cody Bolton to accommodate Baumann. Hunt, who was acquired by Seattle from the Tampa Bay Rays, is a highly regarded prospect but has yet to play in the Major Leagues.
Baumann, who has between one and two years of major league service, is under team control for four more seasons and won’t be eligible for arbitration until the 2025-26 offseason. The Mariners aim to strengthen their bullpen as they compete for the division title.
