Bryan Baker, a guy who was an inconsistent reliever with the Baltimore Orioles, flipped the script completely and became a dominant closer in his very first full season with the Tampa Bay Rays. That’s not a one-off fluke, folks. Drew Rasmussen, who had a 5.01 ERA over a season and a half with the Milwaukee Brewers, developed into an elite ace once he hit Tampa Bay. And get this: Freddy Peralta struggled with the New York Mets before his trade to the Rays in August, then totally turned his season around and ended up as the MVP of the AL Championship Series. Nick Martinez joined the Rays early in the year and made his first All-Star team by July. Even Cam Booser, with a 5.52 ERA last season, came to Tampa Bay and absolutely shredded it, cutting that ERA down to a ridiculous 1.98.
The Pitching Whisperer Behind the Magic
There’s a clear common denominator for all those reclamation projects and breakout stars: pitching coach Kyle Snyder. Since 2018, with Snyder leading the charge, the Rays have consistently rocked one of the best pitching staffs in the majors. This stellar crew wasn’t just good, they were American League champions for the third time in the franchise’s 29-season history! They led the entire league in WHIP this season, clocking in at an insane 1.14. They were fourth in batting average against at .229 and ranked seventh in ERA with a solid 3.70. Snyder isn’t just good, he’s earned a reputation for consistently developing pitchers, turning potential into pure gold.
Snyder’s Secret: Trust, Tech, and Talking
Rays manager Kevin Cash didn’t mince words when talking about Snyder, saying, “I don’t know if I could put into words right now the impact and importance he’s had to the pitchers here at the major league level, the entire pitching department throughout the organization.” Cash didn’t stop there, adding, “I’m certainly biased, but I think he’s the best in baseball at what he does.” He highlighted Snyder’s incredible care for each individual pitcher, building relationships and trust during the offseason, during the season, and even before it all starts. Snyder, a 49-year-old former big leaguer who pitched with the Royals and Red Sox (and even won a World Series with Boston in 2007) before joining the Rays as a Low-A pitching coach in 2012, is also a total tech wizard. The Rays, under his guidance, were pioneers. They jumped on markerless motion capture technology before other teams even knew what hit ’em, they helped introduce the “opener” concept, and they always stress the huge value of catcher pitch framing. But here’s the kicker: for all the tech, Snyder prioritizes face-to-face conversations over texting. He believes you build relationships strong enough to bear the weight of trust, because it’s a whole lot easier to deliver a tough message when you’ve shown them you genuinely care.
The World Series begins Friday night in Milwaukee. Can Snyder’s incredible pitching staff keep that championship momentum rolling? You know they’re gonna try.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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