Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) was officially ruled out of the 2024 season, according to Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner on Saturday afternoon. Bautista is scheduled to throw off a mound sometime next week, but GM Mike Elias confirmed that the star closer will not return to game action this season. The hard-throwing right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery last October and had a very slim chance of returning to the big leagues this season. The 29-year-old should be expected to be fully recovered from his operation come spring training next season. Last summer, Bautista was one of the best closers in the game, holding an incredible 2.08 xERA, .142 xBA, 44.3% whiff rate, and a 46.4% K rate. Bautista will likely return to his ninth-inning role in Baltimore next summer and will be one of the first relievers taken in many fantasy leagues.
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) began playing catch on Friday. This marks the first time that Bautista has thrown since having Tommy John surgery in October and an additional surgery in February. Bautista injured his elbow in a relief appearance against the Colorado Rockies last August. As of now a return in the 2024 season has not been ruled out, though it's highly unlikely the 28-year-old will return this year. Bautista was one of the Orioles' most effective relievers in 2023, posting a 1.48 ERA in 61 innings in 2023. Fantasy managers need not worry about his status this season and instead focus on his return in the 2025 season.
The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Felix Bautista (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday to make room for outfielder Peyton Burdick, who was acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash considerations. Bautista emerged as one of the best closers in the game in 2023 for an Orioles team that won the American League East, but the 28-year-old reliever will miss all of the 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery in October. It was recently announced that he also had a right-elbow debridement and an ulnar-nerve transposition last week, but the additional procedures won't change his final timeline to return by 2025. With Bautista out all of this season, the Orioles brought in veteran Craig Kimbrel to serve as their closer.
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Friday that right-handed relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) had a right-elbow debridement and an ulnar-nerve transposition with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas, Texas. The Orioles do not anticipate any changes in Bautista's overall Tommy John recovery timeline and they still expect him to return for the 2025 season. The 28-year-old will now continue to recovery from his elbow surgeries this year and will not be available to Baltimore at all this season. It's the reason why they signed veteran closer Craig Kimbrel this winter. Kimbrel will enter the 2024 campaign as the team's primary closer, with Bautista eyeing a return to the role in 2025. Before hurting his right elbow last year, Bautista had emerged as one of the best lockdown closers in the game.
Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Felix Bautista (elbow) said that his surgically repaired right elbow is feeling good and he's been rehabbing in Sarasota, Florida, at the team's spring training complex this offseason. Bautista's goal is to be ready for Opening Day in 2025, but if he's ahead of schedule and able to pitch late in 2024, he wants to do it. The 28-year-old had Tommy John surgery in October and can be ignored in single-year fantasy leagues, even though there's a chance he could pitch late in September if all is going great in his rehab by then. The Orioles aren't going to take any chances with their full-time closer the last couple of years, though. With Bautista on the shelf in 2024, veteran Craig Kimbrel will open the regular season as the locked-in closer for the ninth inning.
Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista has been named the 2023 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year. It's a bittersweet honor for Bautista, who wasn't able to finish out the season and needed Tommy John surgery on a partially torn UCL in his right elbow. Injury aside, Bautista was a big reason why the Orioles took home the AL East title in 2023. The 28-year-old Dominican right-hander was dominant out of Baltimore's bullpen with an 8-2 record, 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 110 strikeouts and 33 saves in 61 innings pitched in just his second major-league season. Bautista has a bright future ahead of him, but he will most likely miss all of the 2024 campaign while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
Felix Bautista Undergoes Successful Tommy John Surgery
Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista (elbow) underwent successful Tommy John surgery on his right UCL on Monday in Arlington, Texas, with the surgery being performed by Dr. Keith Meister. The 28-year-old Dominican reliever was an elite fantasy closing option in 2023 for the first-place Orioles, going 8-2 with a 1.48 ERA (1.88 FIP), 0.92 WHIP, a career-high 35 saves, 26 walks and a career-high 110 strikeouts in 61 relief innings. However, the first-time All-Star went down with injury in late August and decided to undergo Tommy John surgery with his season already over. Bautista will now miss the entire 2024 season before hopefully returning as the team's primary closer once again in 2025.
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, according to Nathan Ruiz. This is a shame after it appeared that Bautista was making good progress in his recovery. The 28-year-old will miss the rest of this season and the entire 2024 campaign as well. Awful news as Bautista emerged as an elite option out of the bullpen for the O's this season. It's uncertain how the team plans to address their closer situation heading into 2024. For now, Yennier Cano figures to see a majority of the save chances for the rest of this season.
Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista (elbow) threw a 25-pitch simulated game on Tuesday at Camden Yards. It was the first time that Bautista has faced hitters since being diagnosed with a partially torn UCL in his right elbow last month. The Orioles haven't said what's next for the hard-throwing 28-year-old, but he could have a chance to return from the injured list before the end of the regular season this Sunday. Cionel Perez picked up Baltimore's last save on Saturday, but Yennier Cano should be the O's primary ninth-inning man until Bautista is able to return. Bautista has emerged as an elite closing option for the first-place Orioles this year and has posted a strong 8-2 record, 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 33 saves and 110 strikeouts in just 61 innings.
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) played catch once again on Saturday and is gradually increasing the distance in which he is throwing, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Bautista landed on the injured list back in late August with a partially torn UCL in his throwing elbow but he's been making solid progress in his rehab throwing program since then. The hard-throwing closer has a shot to make it back to the Orioles if the team makes a deep postseason run as long as he keeps progressing and doesn't suffer any setbacks.
Félix Bautista
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Orioles
