FÉLIX BAUTISTA NEWS

Logs first save since 2023 Bautista earned the save in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Blue Jays. He allowed two walks while striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.

Impact Bautista got the call from the bullpen to maintain the Orioles' one-run lead. He walked two batters in a row, and after forcing a groundout, he managed to close things out by striking out Bo Bichette. Bautista missed the entire 2024 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery that he underwent October of 2023, and Saturday's save was his first since Aug. 24, 2023, also against the Blue Jays.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Orioles rally from 3-run deficit, edge Toronto 5-4 despite ex-teammate Santander's home run

Heston Kjerstad and Adley Rutschman homered, the Baltimore defense pulled off five double plays, and the Orioles rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Ja...

1 DAY AGO • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Labors through ninth inning Monday Bautista gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in the ninth inning during Monday's 8-5 win over the Red Sox.

Impact Bautista labored Monday, needing 26 pitches to finish off the game. A Romy Gonzalez double and Jarren Duran single plated two runs to make this one interesting, but Alex Bregman popped out while representing the tying run to end the contest. Bautista is still working his way back into form after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery and likely won't work back-to-back days early on, but he'll have a day off before Wednesday's meeting with Boston.

APRIL 1 • ROTOWIRE

Orioles score 4 in both the 1st and the 8th, top the Red Sox 8-5 in Baltimore's home opener

Tyler O’Neill had four hits in his home debut for Baltimore, and the Orioles used a pair of big offensive innings to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-5

MARCH 31 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Former Orioles Reliever Brad Brach On What To Look For From Félix Bautista Early On - PressBox As Orioles reliever Félix Bautista looks to re-establish himself as one of the top closers in baseball, former Orioles reliever Brad Brach s...

MARCH 31 • PRESSBOXONLINE.COM

Powerful starts for last year's pennant winners as the Dodgers and Yankees stay unbeaten

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are a combined 8-0 to start the 2025 season after both won pennants a year ago

MARCH 31 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Return of Orioles Superstar Closer Gave His Teammate Goosebumps Throughout the spring, the Baltimore Orioles were careful not to put too much pressure on the impending return of Felix Bautista. Coming off...

MARCH 29 • SI.COM

Ranking the 10 best closers in MLB for 2025

Our eight-part position player series continues with the top 10 closers entering the 2025 season.

MARCH 27

Good to go for Opening Day Manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday that Bautista will be included on Baltimore's Opening Day roster, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Impact There was some recent concern that Bautista wouldn't be ready to go for the start of the regular season, but the skipper put those thoughts to bed Sunday. The right-hander spent most of camp in ramp-up mode while working his way back from October 2023 Tommy John surgery, but he's been cleared with five spring appearances under his belt. The 29-year-old recorded 33 saves with a 1.48 ERA during the 2023 regular season and should begin the campaign as the Orioles' closer.

MARCH 23 • ROTOWIRE

Might not be ready for Opening Day Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday that Bautista (elbow) is not a guarantee to be on the Opening Day roster, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Impact Bautista is considered healthy as he comes back from October 2023 Tommy John surgery, but he's still in ramp-up mode and the Orioles could decide he's not ready yet. The righty has made four Grapefruit League appearances, allowing three runs with a 7:1 K:BB. Bautista is throwing on the back fields Thursday and it's not clear when he might make another game appearance. If Bautista isn't included on the Opening Day roster, Seranthony Dominguez and/or Gregory Soto could fill in at closer.

MARCH 20 • ROTOWIRE

AL East Preview: Yankees and Orioles are still talented, but the race at the top could be tighter

Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes are gone from the division

MARCH 17 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Won't pitch back-to-back initially Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Bautista (elbow) will not pitch back-to-back days or go more than one inning early on in the season, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Impact Bautista -- who will make his Grapefruit League debut Monday -- projects to open the season as the Orioles' closer. However, there will be days he is unavailable, and Hyde said he would "mix and match" at closer those days, with the manager naming Andrew Kittredge (knee), Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez as options to fill in. Hyde noted that he'll apply the cautious usage of Bautista "especially in the first half." It does not seem as though there's a hard deadline for when the restrictions on Bautista will be lifted, as it likely just depends on how the pitcher looks and is bouncing back from outings.

MARCH 3 • ROTOWIRE

Spring debut expected Monday Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that he's hopeful that Bautista (elbow) will make his Grapefruit League debut Monday versus the Red Sox, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Impact The Orioles will presumably wait and see how Bautista bounces back from his latest throwing session before locking him into Monday's pitching schedule, but up to this point, the right-hander has seemingly responded well to all of the bullpen and live batting practice sessions he's logged thus far in spring. Assuming he gets the green light to pitch Monday, Bautista will be making his first appearance in a game since August 2023, after he missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Now nearly 17 months removed from the procedure, Bautista should be on track to open the season as the Orioles' closer, provided he makes it through his spring appearances with no complications. Before suffering the elbow injury in 2023, Bautista had been one of baseball's top closers that season, turning in a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 110:26 K:BB while notching 33 saves in 39 chances over 61 innings.

MARCH 2 • ROTOWIRE

Shines in latest bullpen session Bautista (elbow) threw approximately 25 pitches Thursday in his second live batting practice session of the spring, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact The hard-throwing right-hander faced Heston Kjerstad four times and Gary Sanchez three times during the session, recording three strikeouts among the seven plate appearances. Bautista is expected to throw live BP sessions on one or two more occasions before making his Grapefruit League debut in the first or second week of March. Manager Brandon Hyde has set seven spring appearances -- either in Grapefruit League games or on the back fields at camp -- as the benchmark Bautista needs to hit to make himself an option for the Opening Day bullpen.

FEBRUARY 27 • ROTOWIRE

Needs multiple more live BPs Bautista (elbow) will throw a couple more live batting practice sessions before getting into game action, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact It's worth noting that Kubatko reported Monday that Bautista said he "should" get in a game after this week's session, and now it sounds like he'll need at least one more live BP before getting into games next week at the earliest. He will either throw Wednesday or Thursday after throwing 25 pitches Sunday.

FEBRUARY 25 • ROTOWIRE

Nearing game action Bautista (elbow) will throw one more live batting practice session this week before getting into a spring training game, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact Bautista threw 25 pitches in a live batting practice session Sunday and will throw to hitters again either Wednesday or Thursday. The next step could be his Grapefruit League debut, perhaps in the first week of March. He still has to hit these checkpoints, but Bautista's recovery appears on track for him to be Baltimore's closer at the start of the season.

FEBRUARY 24 • ROTOWIRE

Takes big step toward return Bautista (elbow) threw live batting practice Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact Bautista's throwing session Sunday represented the first time he has faced live hitters since he underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2023. The 29-year-old stated last week that he's confident in his ability to be ready to pitch by Opening Day, and all signs so far point to that scenario being a legitimate possibility. However, Bautista isn't expected to appear in any Grapefruit League contests until late in spring training, and how he fares when he gets back on the mound in exhibition play could be a determining factor in his return date for regular-season action.

FEBRUARY 23 • ROTOWIRE

O's Bautista has '100% confidence' he'll regain All-Star form SARASOTA, Fla. -- Get the flickering entrance lights ready at Camden Yards. Cue the “Omar Whistle” from “The Wire” and the anticipatory musi...

FEBRUARY 14 • MLB.COM

At 85 percent strength Bautista (elbow) said Friday that he's throwing at about 85 percent and is confident he will be 100 percent by Opening Day, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Impact Bautista is 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery and is being eased into things this spring. He has been throwing off a mound since August but is not expected to pitch in Grapefruit League games until late in spring training. While Bautista is expected to be ready to serve as the Orioles' closer on Opening Day, the club doesn't figure to commit to him in the role until they see how he looks and feels this spring.

FEBRUARY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Expected back for Opening Day General manager Mike Elias said Thursday that Bautista (elbow) has a "very good chance" of being part of the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Impact While Elias acknowledged that Bautista likely won't be cleared to pitch in Grapefruit League games until late in spring training, the right-hander has been throwing bullpen sessions and has seemingly avoided any setbacks in his recovery from his October 2023 Tommy John surgery over the winter. The Orioles are still planning to ease Bautista along during camp, but if he shows that he can recapture his pre-surgery velocity and command all of his pitches in his spring workouts and appearances, he'll likely head into Opening Day as the team's closer. Bautista had been one of the baseball's top end gamers during the 2023 season, notching saves in 33 of his 39 opportunities while compiling a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 110 strikeouts over 61 innings.

FEBRUARY 13 • ROTOWIRE

Ramp-up period in spring training Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Friday that Bautista (elbow) will go through a ramp-up period in spring training but is still expected to be ready for Opening Day, Roch Kub...

Impact Bautista has been throwing off a mound since August and will be 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery by the start of spring training, but the Orioles will still bring him along slowly in camp. It's not clear when he might make his Grapefruit League debut, but it doesn't appear he's in any danger of not being ready for Opening Day.

JANUARY 31 • ROTOWIRE

Expected to be full-go in spring Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Thursday that he expects Bautista (elbow) to more or less be without restrictions at the start of spring training, Roch Kubatko of MASNSport...

Impact Bautista started throwing off the mound in August and will be 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery by February. As long as he looks good during Grapefruit League play, he should regain his closer role for Baltimore heading into 2025. Bautista posted a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 110:26 K:BB over 61 innings while notching 33 saves in 2023.

OCTOBER 3, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

First post-surgery bullpen session Bautista (elbow) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Impact It was his first time throwing off the mound since he had Tommy John surgery last October. Bautista has already been ruled out for a return in 2024, but he should be able to have a relatively normal offseason and enter spring training with little-to-no restrictions.

AUGUST 14, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Officially out for season General manager Mike Elias confirmed Saturday that Bautista (elbow) won't pitch in 2024, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Impact Bautista returning in 2024 seemed like a long shot after he underwent Tommy John surgery last October, but there was a sliver of hope he'd be available come playoff time. While we won't see Bautista in an Orioles uniform until 2025, he's been progressing well and is expected to begin throwing off a mound next week.

AUGUST 10, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Officially out for season General manager Mike Elias confirmed Saturday that Bautista (elbow) won't pitch in 2024, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Impact Bautista returning in 2024 seemed like a long shot after undergoing Tommy John surgery last October, but there was a sliver of hope he'd be available come playoff time. While we won't see Bautista in an Orioles uniform until 2025, he's been progressing well and is expected to begin throwing off a mound next week.

AUGUST 10, 2024 • ROTOWIRE