Orioles GM Mike Elias introduced Saturday afternoon that right-handed nearer Felix Bautista is about to bear Tommy John surgical procedure in early October.
Elias additionally introduced that the membership and Bautista had agreed upon a assured, two-year contract that runs via the 2025 marketing campaign. Bautista received’t pitch through the 2024 marketing campaign, and is anticipated again in time for spring coaching 2025.
Bautista, 28, made his huge league debut in 2022 as a member of the Baltimore bullpen and nearly instantly turned one of many membership’s most essential arms, with a 2.19 ERA and a pair of.91 FIP in 65 2/3 innings for the membership final yr because the Orioles surged to a shocking 83-79 season.
The proper-hander took one other leap ahead in his sophomore season to turn out to be one of the vital dominant relievers in baseball through the 2023 marketing campaign. In 61 innings of labor this season, Bautista posted an unbelievable 46.4% strikeout charge that lead all relievers whereas additionally main the pack in FIP (1.88), xFIP (2.30), and SIERA (2.06).
Bautista’s sterling 1.48 ERA trailed solely 4 relievers within the majors, and the right-hander figured to be a key a part of the Orioles’ first postseason push since 2016.
Sadly, these plans went awry in late August when the membership introduced that Bautista was headed to the injured checklist with “some extent” of UCL damage. Even on the time, that prognosis was ominous, on condition that UCL injury typically requires Tommy John surgical procedure.
That mentioned, the Orioles left the door open for the 2023 All Star to return to assist the membership’s playoff push, and the righty started to rehab in hopes of working his method again from the damage. Elias famous on the time that whereas medical doctors had indicated Bautista would have the ability to pitch with out inflicting any additional injury to his UCL, a process to handle the problem could be vital in some unspecified time in the future.
The plan gave the impression to be going properly, at first, as Bautista labored as much as 25-pitch facet classes pretty rapidly. In the end, as relayed by Jake Rill for MLB.com, the right-hander ran out of time to return through the common season, with simply two video games left to play on Baltimore’s schedule.
That left the Orioles to determine to close him down for the yr, preferring to not activate him through the postseason push with out having made lower-leverage appearances first. With Bautista not taking part within the postseason, there was little cause to delay the right-hander’s surgical procedure additional.
With Bautista not anticipated to throw a aggressive pitch till Spring Coaching of the 2025, the edges got here collectively on a assured deal that will run via the top of the 2025 season, Bautista’s first yr of arbitration eligibility.
Whereas the phrases of Bautista’s cope with the Orioles haven’t been disclosed, Elias expressed in feedback to reporters (together with MASN’s Roch Kubatko) that the deal was a brilliant spot that ought to assist Bautista give attention to the rehab forward of him.
“I believe that’s nice, as a result of he can simply focus on his rehab and getting again on the sphere. He received’t have any enterprise to take care of in that point,” Elias mentioned. “We did one thing related with John Means, and really pleased for Félix and for us that that’s out of the best way.”
With Bautista formally performed for 2023 (and 2024), the Orioles determine to show to right-handed setup man and fellow All Star Yennier Cano as their main nearer in his absence.
Cano has recorded 4 saves in Bautista’s absence, although he’s struggled to an uncharacteristic 4.76 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of labor throughout that point. Cano’s full-season numbers are rather more spectacular, because the 29-year-old righty sports activities a 2.12 ERA and a pair of.87 FIP in 72 1/3 innings of labor with the Orioles this season.
