AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS RAYS

October 5, 2026

Bryan Baker

Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Pregame 2 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We will get started with All-Star Bryan Baker.

Q. Hey, Bryan. Just looking back to Game 1 a little bit, I'm curious if you can explain your view of the crowd and the impact it had both from when watching in the bullpen and then what it was like out on the mound.

BRYAN BAKER: I don't hear too much when I'm out there on the mound. But before, yeah, it's pretty evident. Even from the intros, before the game, you could tell the turnout for the Rays fans was there, and we could feel that the whole day.

So, yeah, hoping for some more of that tonight for sure. It was nice to play in front of.

Q. Big hit, 41 regular season saves. How did that compare to your first playoff save? How did your first playoff save compare to regular season saves?

BRYAN BAKER: I try to treat it all the same, really. But I'd be lying if that one wasn't a little special. A lot of friends and family in attendance, and a lot more people in attendance in general. I love playing in front of a rowdy crowd. Everybody brought it inside this building the other night.

So I was definitely kind of feeding off that. And, yeah, anytime you can get a save and secure a win, especially in this time of year, it's pretty special. So I don't take it for granted.

Q. Bryan, as someone who has to work as hard as you do in so many leverage moments during the regular season, how much do you think the scheduling of the ALDS can help you and other high leverage guys in that bullpen with game, day off, game, day off?

BRYAN BAKER: That's a good question. It will definitely help in terms of staying fresh from game to game. I'm a guy who typically doesn't really mind the back-to-back. I feel like sometimes you're already warmed up the next day almost and you can kind of shave off some of your warmup and stuff like that.

But at the same time, you can take that extra day as just a little bit of extra rest and play light catch and be ready to go the next game.

And then we obviously might have a back-to-back, you know, coming and I think we'll be ready for that. Like you said, this time of year, it's nice to be as fresh as possible, try to have our best stuff for those moments. So it's been a good schedule so far.

Q. Bryan, you thrive off emotion and energy on the mound. When you're coming into that game where the energy is already heightened, do you have to tell yourself a little bit to keep it under wraps? What did you say to yourself to control your emotions in that very emotional moment?

BRYAN BAKER: Yeah, man. I don't think I've ever really thrown in an environment quite like that, so it's kind of hard to gauge on what to expect and how you're going to feel in that moment.

I think I actually had a couple buddies that were sitting pretty close to the bullpen that I -- it was a pretty long bottom of the eighth. That was probably a good thing where I was throwing a lot of warmup pitches and I was beyond ready. I probably needed to stop. I turned around and caught a glimpse of three of my best buddies from home. They were kind of in the front row behind the bullpen. I feel like that was a nice moment. Kind of centered me a little bit, kind of made it not as big of a moment, where I was kind of just throwing in front of my buddies for a second. I think that helped out a little bit.

Then, like you said, the rest of it I try to use the energy in the building to my benefit and really just go out there and make sure I'm throwing strikes. That's our job, and it's really hard to get away from the simplicity of that.

We really need to go out there and throw strikes and get outs. But, yeah, I think sometimes the situation can make you think some other things. But I think having my buddies there made me smile a little bit for a second and just realize the moment, it's a big moment, but it's also just baseball. It's a fun time.

So getting a little laugh in my warmup, I'd say, was a nice touch the other night.

Q. Bryan, on Saturday, Cash was talking about how many close games these two teams have played, both in the regular season and then, of course, in Game 1. I'm curious, what is the key to keeping and capturing the momentum you got in Game 1 moving forward?

BRYAN BAKER: I think we've played pretty good baseball for six, seven months now. I think a lot of it is just showing up and doing the things you've been doing that have got you to this position where you can take the situation and make it bigger than it is or whatever it may be.

I think our group overall is pretty good at staying in the moment, taking it one pitch at a time, one breath at a time, one out at a time, whatever you want it to be. And not looking ahead and really just savoring that moment and being right where your feet are. I think we've done a really good job of that.

It's really about being ourselves, and we've been ourselves all year, and it's gotten us to this position. It lends itself to some success, and I think we're going to keep doing that.

Q. Two parts. One is, you've talked about being here at some Rays games as a kid. Did you ever come to a postseason game; do you recall?

BRYAN BAKER: No, definitely not. I think it was all regular season games that I had been to. So, yeah, that atmosphere was -- you know, I didn't know what to expect. But it was bigger than I'd even imagined, honestly. Yeah, the fact that the home fans, the Rays fans, were really ones that we heard a lot. It was pretty special.

Sometimes in this building, it can be kind of 50/50 and you hear a lot from the other side. But, yeah, I heard a lot of Rays love, which is great to play in front of, and I think we embrace that. Seeing that top level being filled out and how good of a game it was, honestly, too. Just being in that environment, yeah, it's -- if you can't play in that environment, I don't know, man. That's what it's all about. It's pretty special.

Q. Piggybacking off of that, on Tuesday -- Wednesday, sorry, what do you think your first playoff experience at Yankee Stadium will be like?

BRYAN BAKER: Probably a little different. I'm sure the lack of a dome will be a little bit different, too. I mean, it was almost, kind of traps the energy in there, and I'm sure it will be a little bit different outside without as many Rays supporters.

But at the same time, it's still energy you can kind of tap into, and I personally like playing on the road a lot and kind of feeling the hostility and kind of revelling in that and embracing that, as well.

So anytime you get a bunch of people in the seats and come out to see us play baseball, I think it's pretty fun. We'll use it to our advantage no matter what.

Q. You guys have got Freddy going tonight. He's talked about how the coaching staff instilled confidence in him when he came over. I'm curious what your experience was like with that, how they made you feel more confident in your stuff and how that played a role in the success you've had.

BRYAN BAKER: Really good question. I think for a lot of people, myself included, it's a confidence game. I think when you have a bunch of people around you that really instill that confidence in you and share that belief, it elevates your game.

In your mind, when you're that confident, you feel like you can go out and be consistent and keep doing the things that you do well. Just like Freddy's done, just a couple tweaks here and there. Obviously, we all already knew the kind of pitcher he was.

Sometimes a little change of scenery and being around different people can get you in a little bit different frame of thought. It doesn't even have to be anything physically different sometimes. You can just do something with a little more conviction, sometimes that even works out better.

So I think it's a combination of all that. As soon as I got over here last year, when I got traded over, it was nothing but positive things all the way from the front office to the pitching staff. Everybody that puts together the game plans for us and all that stuff.

So, yeah, it's a bigger part of the game than you think. So, yeah, I think that's shown with Freddy over the last month and a half, whatever it's been. I don't think there's been too many starting pitchers that have thrown the ball better than he has.

So, yeah, clearly, it's worked for him and, yeah, I just can't say enough positive things about the Rays organization and how they -- not only find ways for you to be better or usages or whatever it may be, but just strictly the mental side of, man, like, I'm good. I'm here for a reason. I'm just going to go do what I do. I think that trickles down to everybody.

THE MODERATOR: Bryan, thanks so much for your time. Continued success.

BRYAN BAKER: Thank you, guys.