The Mets have signed right-handed relief pitcher Mike Bauman, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Bauman, 30, played the 2025 season with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, where he posted a 0-2 record with a 4.20 ERA and 1 hold across 16 games, pitching 15 innings. During that time, he gave up 8 runs (7 earned) on 17 hits, including 3 home runs, while striking out 19 and walking 12 batters.
Bauman, a seasoned player, last appeared in Major League Baseball during the 2024 season with multiple teams: the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Miami Marlins. He ended that year with a 3-1 record, a 5.55 ERA, and 1.49 WHIP over 58.1 innings pitched in 57 games.
The Marlins picked Bauman off waivers on August 25, 2024, which marked the conclusion of his time with those teams. He recorded a 6.59 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 13.2 innings over 11 appearances for Miami.
Bauman spent most of his career with the Orioles before the 2024 season. Baltimore selected him on May 18, 2024, then traded him just four days later for catcher Michael Perez, who was sent to Seattle to join Blake Hunt.
Bauman’s standout season came in 2023, his last full year with Baltimore, when he posted a strong 10-1 record with a 3.76 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and pitched 64.2 innings across 60 games. He made his MLB debut on September 7, 2021, earning the win in the Orioles’ 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals, allowing just 2 hits and 1 earned run in 3.2 innings of relief.
The Orioles drafted Bauman out of Jacksonville University with the 98th overall pick in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Fan Take: This signing could provide the Mets with valuable bullpen depth, especially from a pitcher who has both MLB and international experience. Bauman’s journey through various teams and leagues highlights the unpredictable but exciting paths players take, reminding fans that perseverance can lead to new opportunities and contribute to the evolving dynamics of baseball.
