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30 articles
BAL • Pitcher • #74
about 2 months ago
Bautista is not going to be an option for the Orioles until the second half of 2026 at the earliest due to his shoulder issues, but the right-hander is one of the most effective relievers in baseball when he’s been healthy enough to show it.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
2 months ago
Elias also noted there’s a chance Bautista could miss the entirety of 2026 after undergoing surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum. Elias noted that the Orioles are expected to target high-leverage options in the bullpen because of how much time Bautista will miss. When healthy he’s among the best relievers in the sport, but there’s no real reason to count on Bautista in 2026 from a fantasy perspective.
Source: Andy Kostka
BAL • Pitcher • #74
5 months ago
The procedural move frees up a spot on Baltimore’s 40-man roster. Bautista underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum earlier this week and will likely miss the entire 2026 season.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
5 months ago
It was determined last week that Bautista had a “significant” shoulder injury, but this is beyond significant. The right-hander is expected to miss 12 months, which means that it’s likely that the 30-year-old reliever will miss all of 2026 along with the remainder of this year. It’s likely Baltimore will need to address the closer position in the offseason.
Source: Andy Kostka
BAL • Pitcher • #74
5 months ago
We’d pretty much written off Bautista for the rest of 2025, but a “significant shoulder injury” sounds like something that could be a problem in 2026, too. Before getting hurt last month, Bautista had a 2.60 ERA and 19 saves in his return from Tommy John surgery. The Orioles are using Keegan Akin as their primary closer right now, though that’s a role that could be in flux the rest of the way.
Source: Jacob Calvin Meyer
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
Bautista will undergo an MRI next week to determine the status of his recovery from shoulder inflammation that put him on the shelf back in late July. The 30-year-old closer could potentially be cleared to resume a throwing program, but he’s going to be racing the clock to make it back to Baltimore before the regular season wraps up. Keegan Akin remains the logical choice to continue handling the closing duties for the Orioles until further notice.
Source: Jake Rill
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
Mansolino added that Bautista is dealing with significant shoulder inflammation, and the team will need the swelling to subside before they can assess potential structural damage. The 30-year-old closer is expected to be “out a while,” with Mansolino noting it’ll be “weeks, not days” before he returns. While there’s still a chance for a late-season comeback, fantasy managers should brace for an extended absence as the Orioles are likely to proceed with caution. It’ll be Seranthony Domínguez handling the closing duties for the moment in Baltimore.
Source: Matt Weyrich
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
Bautista was not available to pitch on Wednesday night, but all we knew at the time was he “wasn’t feeling right.” Now we know that he has been managing a shoulder injury that has caused a dip in velocity in recent appearances. The 30-year-old was not a lock to be traded at the deadline, but was one of the bigger names on the relief pitcher market. The injury significantly decreases the chances that he gets moved. Since the start of June, Seranthony Dominguez has thrown the highest-leverage innings in the Baltimore pen asides from Bautista, so it figures that he may get the first crack at closer duties in the short term.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
Mansolino didn’t offer any specifics beyond saying Bautista “wasn’t feeling right” during the game. The lack of clarity is concerning, though it’s unclear whether the issue is physical — or arm-related — at this point. There should be more information ahead of Thursday’s series finale against Cleveland.
Source: Andy Kostka
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
It was not a pretty inning for Bautista, who walked Danny Jansen to lead off the inning and then allowed him to score on a one-out single by Taylor Walls after Jansen had advanced to second on a passed ball. Then, with two outs and a runner on first, Bautista walked the next two batters to load the bases and also fell behind Junior Caminero 3-0 before battling back to strike him out and end the game. It was the 30-year-old’s 20th save of the season, but you have to wonder how many more chances might be coming if the Orioles unload their pending free agents at the trade deadline.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
Rosenthal also made it clear that the Orioles are unlikely to deal either one, but they aren’t going to rule anything out if the right offer comes their way. Bautista is 30 years old and is arbitration-eligible for two more years after that, so there is no rush for Baltimore to move on. He’s had a strong first half of the season, but he’s also posting his lowest swinging strike rate and K-BB rate of his career, so perhaps Baltimore has some questions about his long-term upside following Tommy John surgery.
Source: The Athletic
BAL • Pitcher • #74
6 months ago
Bautista threw 12-of-17 pitches for strikes while not allowing a hit, walking a better or striking anyone out. Boring, but effective. He’s now up to 18 saves on the season, and it’s possible — but not likely — he could be used for another save chance in the second game of the twin billing.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
Baustista’s save was No. 17 for him on the year. The 30-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.64 in his return season from Tommy John surgery. Despite the Orioles having a down season, Bautista has re-established himself as one of the top closing options in all of baseball.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
Brandon Lowe hit the homer. Bautista did strike out three in the inning. The run was the first he’s given up since May 30, and he’s struck out 17 in 10 innings this month.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
Well, this looked like the old Bautista. He dialed his fastball up to 100 mph to strike out Aaron Judge and that pitch had great life at the top of the zone. This was a very easy ninth inning and suddenly, Bautista has just a 2.70 ERA and has converted each of his last nine save opportunities.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
The 29-year-old right-hander made it look easy in this one, getting Jose Caballero on a called third strike, Kameron Misner on a fly ball to center and Danny Jansen on a called third strike to end it. It took him 21 pitches (12 strikes) to get the job done. On the season, Bautista holds a terrific 2.81 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 34/17 K/BB ratio over 25 2/3 innings to go with 15 saves in 16 save chances. He’s rounding back into form as one of the game’s truly elite closers.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
After striking out two batters in a clean inning on Friday, Bautista got the chance for back-to-back saves as he was called on with a one-run lead on Saturday. The 29-year-old right-hander worked around a walk for the save, striking out one batter and hitting 100 mph for the first time since his return from Tommy John surgery.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
Bautista has stepped it up nicely in the strikeout department, fanning 13 of the 29 batters he’s faced in his last seven outings. His ERA is back down to 3.18 after five straight scoreless appearances.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
7 months ago
Bautista did allow a hit, so whether or not he struck out the side is up to you. The 29-year-old has saved 12 of the Orioles’ 26 wins in 2025, and he’s done it with an ERA of 3.31. Baltimore appears to be turning things around, so it’s more than reasonable to think there’ll be more consistent chances for Bautista over these summer months.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
8 months ago
Bautista did give up a hit and a walk, but the right-hander was able to keep Seattle from scoring the tying run while picking up his 11th save. After giving up runs in four-straight outings from May 11-21, but he has allowed just one earned run since over six appearances.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
8 months ago
With a two-run lead in the top of the ninth, the Orioles went to Bautista despite him throwing 29 pitches for a save the day before. He worked around two walks, striking out the side to lock down his tenth save of the season.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
8 months ago
Bautista gave up two doubles and then nearly surrendered a two-run homer to Luis Robert Jr. that went just foul. Robert went on to walk, and Joshua Palacios struck out to end the game. Bautista’s splitter is working well for the most part, but he continues to look more average than dominant in the closer’s role for Baltimore. Odds are that he’ll improve, and no one else is making a run at his job. Things will probably be okay in the end.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
8 months ago
The one ball put in play against him was a popup. After giving up runs in four straight outings from May 11-21, he’s been perfect his last two times out, and Bautista should be available again Tuesday after throwing just 10 pitches today.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
8 months ago
Bautista made early work of the Angels’ lineup and needed just a dozen pitches to get through the outing, with nine of those pitches landing for strikes. The 29-year-old has saved seven games in his return to the mound with a very strong 1.64 ERA to go with them. Bautista should be an elite stopper in 2025 as long as Baltimore starts winning more games.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
9 months ago
Bautista has a 1.80 ERA and hasn’t blown any leads in 10 appearances, but these more recent outings are definitely instilling more confidence than some of the early ones. He’s faced just one batter over the minimum in his last five appearances.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
9 months ago
Bautista continues to look more and more like himself with each passing appearance. His fastball touched 99 mph for the first all season here and he made quick work of the Yankees in a one-run game. While his stuff hasn’t been particularly sharp to this point, there’s a good chance he’s still shaking off the rust from missing last season following Tommy John surgery.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
9 months ago
Bautista got the call to protect a one-run lead in the final frame and turned in an impressive performance, striking out Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger to preserve the victory. His final pitch to Bellinger (98.4 mph) was his fastest four-seamer of the year to date. The hard-throwing 29-year-old stopper has converted all four of his save chances this season in his return from Tommy John surgery.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
9 months ago
The 29-year-old right-hander allowed a one-out infield single to Keibert Ruiz to put the tying run on base, then pinch-runner Nasim Nunez swiped second to put him in scoring position. Bautista rallied though, getting Nathaniel Lowe on a ground ball to second base and Amed Rosario on a bouncer to short to end it. On the season, Bautista has compiled a 2.57 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and an 8/6 K/BB ratio over his first seven frames.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
9 months ago
The Orioles initially went with Matt Bowman in the ninth after expanding their lead from three runs to five in the bottom of the eighth, but Bowman gave up a homer, a double and a walk before being lifted. Bautista took over with the two runners on and got a strikeout, a groundout and a flyout to end it. Because of the Orioles’ late of late and close leads, it was just Bautista’s sixth appearance and second save chance. He’s pitched scoreless innings in five of the outings. The Orioles might now stay away from him Sunday, potentially resulting in a save chance for Yennier Cano or Seranthony Domínguez.
BAL • Pitcher • #74
9 months ago
Bautista finally got a save chance for the Orioles on Saturday as no Baltimore reliever had recorded a save going into the day. He pitched through some shaky control with two walks, striking out the final batter for his first save of the season.