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Texas Rangers Rule 5 pick Carter Baumler learns Opening Day fate after unique mound visit originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With two outs in the fifth inning Monday night, Skip Schumaker called for what developed into a unique Cactus League mound visit.
Unlike the countless previous on-field huddles the Texas Rangers manager coordinated, Schumaker strolled to the center of the infield at Surprise Stadium to begin chatting with relief pitcher Carter Baumler.
Schumaker didn’t talk much about in-game strategy.
He delivered a personal message instead.
Texas Rangers promoting Carter Baumler
Surrounded by the Rangers’ infielders and catcher Danny Jansen, Schumaker quickly called for an impromptu meeting. He was running out of time. Facing the Kansas City Royals, Baumler induced two ground-ball outs on just seven pitches. Schumaker was forced to act fast.
He strolled to the mound and informed Baumler that he made the Opening Day roster.
As Schumaker made the announcement, the players in attendance smiled and offered their congratulations before jogging back into position.
Armed with the news of his first big-league promotion, Baumler ended the inning by striking out Royals Isaac Collins on four pitches, the finale coming on a 96-mph four-seam fastball.
"I wasn't expecting it," Baumler said, as reported by the Des Moines (Iowa) Register. "I was like 'Why is he coming out here?' And he got on the mound and told me I made the team. Pretty cool.”
Baumler endured a series of injuries, including shoulder ailments, throughout his six-year professional career. Nearly a year after the Baltimore Orioles drafted the Urbandale, Iowa, native 133rd overall in 2020, he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of the next season.
From 2022-25, Baumler appeared in just 49 minor-league games. But when healthy, the hard-throwing right-hander proved effective, posting a 7-1 record with a 3.05 earned-run average and 104 strikeouts in 88.2 innings.
The Rangers acquired Baulmer, who has yet to pitch above Double-A, after the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.
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