The Rise of 'Big Bake': What Bryan Baker's Dominance Means for MLB Closer Roles The Tampa Bay Rays' improbable run this season has been marked by several unexpected storylines, but none more astonishing than the emergence of Bryan "Big Bake" Baker as a dominant closer.
With 30 saves and counting, he has tied Cleveland's Cade Smith for the MLB lead, an impressive feat considering he had only four saves in his previous 205 career appearances.
The Rays initially approached filling their closer role by employing a committee system, leaving it uncertain who would ultimately take on the responsibility of closing games.