Former Orioles Reliever Already Traded Again From Mariners to Giants

A former Baltimore Orioles pitcher has already been traded for the second time this season.

Sep 29, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Michael Baumann (53) throws a pitch. / Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

It's been a crazy few months for former Baltimore Orioles reliever Michael Baumann.

Baumann, who opened the season with the Orioles, was traded to the Seattle Mariners on May 22 along with Michael Perez for minor-league catcher Blake Hunt. The move was somewhat surprising given that a) Baumann was pitching pretty well (3.44 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings) at the time, and b) Baltimore already has a franchise cornerstone behind the plate in Adley Rutschman.

Less than two months later, Baumann has already been traded again.

On Sunday, the Mariners announced that they traded Baumann to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash considerations.

The @Mariners have traded RHP Mike Baumann to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash considerations.

— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) July 21, 2024

This time, the move is less surprising. Baumann struggled with Seattle with a 5.51 ERA, a 6.04 FIP and four home runs allowed in 16 1/3 innings.

The 28-year-old right-hander has regressed this season following an outstanding 2023 campaign with the Orioles. Baumann went 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings out of Baltimore's bullpen last year -- all career-highs.

Originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins out of high school in the 34th round of the 2014 MLB Draft, Baumann didn't sign with the Twins and went to college instead. Three years later, he became a third-round pick by the Orioles out of Jacksonville University. He made his MLB debut in 2021 and emerged as a key cog in Baltimore's bullpen last season after some initial hiccups, helping the Orioles win 101 games and the AL East.

After scuffling with the Mariners over the last two months, Baumann will try to get his career back on track with the Giants. who are mired in fourth place in the NL West. If he doen't turn things around over the next few months, he may find himself on the trade block again come next offseason.