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• Orioles' Felix Bautista: Good to go for Opening Day

  5D ago • By RotoWire

  Manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday that Bautista will be included on Baltimore's Opening Day roster, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports. 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 after making five spring appearances. 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.

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• Orioles' Felix Bautista: Might not be ready for Opening Day

  8D ago • By RotoWire

  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. 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.

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• Orioles' Felix Bautista: Cleared for spring debut Monday

  25D ago • By RotoWire

  Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Bautista (elbow) -- who will make his Grapefruit League debut Monday versus the Red Sox -- won't pitch back-to-back days or cover more than one inning early on in the season, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports. Bautista projects to open the season as the Orioles' closer, barring any setbacks during his appearances in the spring as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in October 2023. However, for occasions in which Bautista is unavailable, 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." The Orioles don't seem to have 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.

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• Orioles' Felix Bautista: Shines in latest bullpen session

  29D ago • By RotoWire

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

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• Orioles' Felix Bautista: Should be full go by Opening Day

  02/14/2025 • By RotoWire

  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. 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.

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