Starting pitcher Shane Baz was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Orioles on December 19th. In exchange for the 26-year-old right-hander, the Orioles gave up four top 30 prospects — catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret and outfielders Slater de Brun and Austin Overn, and a Competitive Balance Round A pick, the 33rd overall.
Baz, who was 10-12 with a 4.87 ERA in 31 starts last season, met with the local media in a video conference call on Friday. Here are excerpts:
On whether he was expecting the trade:
“It’s always kind of surprising. Same kind of deal. I felt kind of the same as the first time I got traded. You’re never really expecting it. I didn’t have any inside on it or anything like that. But you know, I think the excitement took over, just being able to join such a good team and I think what the front office is doing is really exciting. The coaching staff seems really great. And yeah, just the excitement took over and I’m kind of just excited to get to work now. I would just say I was really, really excited from the start.”
His impressions of the Orioles:
“It’s always a really tough lineup to plan for. Really, really hard. They’ve had a great rotation the past couple years, a great bullpen. I think it’s just a team with a ton of firepower really all over the place. I’ve gotten the chance to play with a couple guys there now and they reached out and were super excited and very welcoming. It sounds like they loved it a lot, so yeah, I haven’t heard a bad thing. It’s all been really promising stuff and I think it’s a really, really good opportunity this year to have a good team.”
On his familiarity with the American League East:
“It helps a lot. I feel like I’ve gotten a chance to face a lot of guys just last year and the year before, guys that are all over the division, and just getting the chance to kind of see how my stuff stacks up against certain guys here and there and trying to game plan a little smarter, and stuff like that. I think it’s a good thing for me. I’m really familiar with a lot of places in the division and I’m kind of comfortable pitching in all the ballparks and stuff like that. I won’t be going anywhere for the first time. That can be kind of hard sometimes. But no, it hasn’t felt like a big jump right now just because it’s the offseason, but no, it’s exciting.”
On playing with Zach Eflin again
“He actually sent me a text right before, I guess, the news broke. It was just exciting to hear. I would say he’s one of my favorite guys I’ve ever played with, and not only away from the field is he awesome and kind of just a great person who would do anything for you, but whenever you’re in the dugout, being a younger starting pitcher, I didn’t have a ton of experience when we had him in Tampa, he would talk anything with me, from pitch design to routine to pitch selection and kind of challenge you and help you. It’s really cool to have a guy who’s so experienced at the time helping me, and I’m just excited to be around him again and help each other get better. I love him. I love the guy.”
Thoughts on the Orioles’ offseason
“The names that they’re getting right now are superstar players: [Pete] Alonso, you got [Ryan] Helsley, [Taylor] Ward, Eflin obviously coming back. I don’t know if I’m missing anybody, but those names are just really, really exciting getting the chance to play with guys that are of that caliber and I know are really respected around the league and help teams win. And, no, I think it speaks to how they want to play this year and what they’re trying to do and that gives you a little more motivation, I think, just to set the set the standard and just winning is all that matters. And I really like that kind of situation.”
On pitching to Adley Rutschman
“It just seems like he’s got a lot of attention to detail and really knows the guy that’s throwing to him and what he’s trying to do. Obviously, played against him a lot and he’s tough to pitch against, so that’s going to be nice that he’s going to be on my side. And yeah, I’ve got one career inning where I’ve pitched to him, so it went really well. So, I’m excited to pick up from there. It was like five years ago. But I feel like just in that one inning, I could tell the kind of guy he is and he’s just really working with you and busting his butt.”
When he pitched to Rutschman
“It was in the 2021 Futures Game. Yeah, 2021. Yeah. So, we were on the same on the same team and it just lined up that — I don’t even remember what inning I threw — but I remember, I think I went punch out, punch out, first- pitch out and it was quick, and he seemed like we were on the same page the whole time. So, yeah, it was cool.”
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