ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 A Texas Rangers rookie received the best news of spring during a mound visit on Monday — he will be on the team\u2019s Opening Day roster.<\/p>\n
Right-handed reliever Carter Baumler<\/a> was cruising along in the fifth inning at Globe Life Field, retiring the first two hitters on ground balls on only seven pitches. So why was manager Skip Schumaker coming to the mound? The rookie had yet to face the minimum three batters, so he was perplexed, The Dallas Morning News<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n But Schumaker\u2019s message was short and to the point — you\u2019ve made the team.<\/p>\n \u201cSomebody said, \u2018I wish I got a picture of you when the manager came out.\u2019\u201d Baumler said<\/a>. \u201cIt caught me off guard. Then he came out and said \u2018Congrats you made the team.\u2019 And it was a really cool moment. It\u2019s something I\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game,\u201d Baumler said during an in-game television interview on the Rangers Sports Network<\/a>, according to ESPN<\/a>. \u201cObviously, whenever the manager comes out, you\u2019re usually done.\u201d<\/p>\n Schumaker told reporters after the game that he was looking for the right time to break the news. And what better opportunity than while Baumler was on the mound, with his family in Iowa watching the telecast of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is only one time you get told you are on a major league roster for the first time and you want to make it as memorable as you can for that guy,\u201d Schumaker said<\/a>. \u201cI was thinking of a way to make it as special a moment as I could. Wanted him to enjoy it with his teammates on the mound. I wanted him to take in the moment on the mound. And then he punched the next guy out and that was pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rangers traded for Baumler during the offseason. The Baltimore Orioles had drafted him in 2020, but he was taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the Rule 5 draft at December\u2019s winter meetings, ESPN<\/a> reported. He was traded to the Rangers the same day.<\/p>\n The Rule 5 deal meant that the ,Rangers had to keep the pitcher on the roster all season long, but Baumler was apparently unaware of the implications of the transaction.<\/p>\n Texas catcher Danny Jansen patted his catcher\u2019s mitt on Baumler\u2019s chest, and the Rangers infielders offered their congratulations, ESPN<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Regaining his composure, Baumler struck out Isaac Collins to end the inning.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I kind of locked back in pretty quick,\u201d Baumler said<\/a>. \u201cIt definitely was exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Baumler has had a productive spring for the Rangers, throwing 9 1\/3 scoreless innings and striking out 10 batters, MLB.com<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n