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Texas Rangers manager delivers thrilling news to pitcher during mound visit
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- Texas Rangers manager delivers thrilling news to pitcher during mound visit
Former MLB player Skip Schumaker is in his first season as the manager of the Texas Rangers .
As he prepares his team for Opening Day on March 26, Schumaker found a novel way to let one player know he made the team.
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In the fifth inning of an exhibition game March 23 against the Kansas City Royals at Globe Life Field, Schumaker made a mound visit to relief pitcher Carter Baumler .
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But it wasn't a normal "let's get an out here" trip to the mound.
In fact, Schumaker came out to inform Baumler he will be a Ranger.
The X account of the MLB shared video of the visit.
"You want to make it as memorable as you can," Schumaker told MLB.com . "I'll never forget when I got called up — the exact moment, the exact game, in Memphis, Tennessee. … It was just like the most amazing time. I was just trying to think of a special way to tell him."
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Baumler, who retired the first two batters of the inning, said he was surprised to see Schumaker approaching the mound. Infielders congratulated the young pitcher, who couldn't help but smile.
Texas Rangers pitcher Carter Baumler during media day. | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
"Somebody said, 'I wish I got a picture of you when you turned around and saw him,'" Baumler said, according to MLB.com. "I was just caught off guard and didn't know what was going to happen. And then he told me that and it was just a really cool moment. I'm definitely not going to forget that."
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Baumler, 24, has never pitched in the big leagues. In fact, he only advanced to Double-A in the Baltimore Orioles organization before the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason. Texas acquired Baumler in a trade with the Pirates.
Because he is a Rule 5 draftee, Baumler must remain on the Rangers' big-league roster (or injured list) all season. If not, Texas risks losing him to Baltimore.
The Rangers open the season on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies at 4:15 p.m. ET March 26.
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