Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield gets unexpected help from World Series team to make return after injury

Mayfield is returning after missing three games with a thumb injury to his throwing hand

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is making his return this week against the Carolina Panthers, after missing the last three games with a right thumb injury. And to make his return to action a little easier, he got an assist from a World Series team. 

Mayfield will wear a custom glove to help protect his throwing thumb, given to him by the Tampa Bay Rays training staff. The Buccaneers reached out to Nike, which made a custom protective glove for MLB star Mike Trout. The inquiry led the Rays, who are playing in the 2026 World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, to offer to help.

The Rays sent a member of the equipment staff to the Bucs' facility to meet with Mayfield and make the glove for him. 

According to the Tampa Bay Times, clubhouse attendant Nick Bond modified a wide receiver glove by removing material around the thumb and adding an insert for protection. Two gloves were made: one with hard plastic and another resembling a soft cast.

Here is a look at the glove:

Here is the glove #Bucs QB Baker Mayfield will wear to protect his dislocated thumb, with thanks to the @RaysBaseball training staff. pic.twitter.com/nUtenahRUy

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 25, 2026

Here is the glove #Bucs QB Baker Mayfield will wear to protect his dislocated thumb, with thanks to the @RaysBaseball training staff. pic.twitter.com/nUtenahRUy

"[It's] not restricting because it's on the backside. ... For me, just getting used to it. I don't feel the difference. It's just like me wearing a glove," Mayfield said. 

Rays equipment manager Tyler Wall spoke to the abilities of Bond and their plan for the glove. 

"I said our guy can do anything," Wall said. "They worked together and kind of Frankensteined a glove together, working with their trainers, Baker and Nick Bond. [It's] not hard enough to restrict the thumb but enough for protection. So he built a pocket around the thumb and inserted it. It worked pretty good."

The Rays are currently down 2-0 against the Brewers, but even as they prepared for this weekend's games, they were able to extend some help to another Tampa team.

The Buccaneers sit at 1-5 on the season, losing two of the three games Mayfield missed. But their poor record is not all because of Mayfield's absence. Even when he was playing, Mayfield was struggling, with 615 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The season's hope isn't over quite yet, thanks to the rest of the NFC South struggling as well.

The Panthers, who Mayfield played for in 2022, lead the division at 3-2, followed by the 2-4 Atlanta Falcons and 2-4 New Orleans Saints.

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