The Baltimore Orioles’ star relief pitcher, Félix Bautista, will be sidelined for the duration of the 2025 Major League Baseball campaign following an operation to repair his rotator cuff and labrum, the organization revealed on Wednesday.
Bautista, aged 30, was delivering another impressive performance this season when he was placed on the Injured List back in July due to an issue with his shoulder. Subsequent medical evaluations revealed that Bautista had suffered a rotator cuff tear and a labrum tear, necessitating the surgical procedure that occurred on Wednesday.
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The anticipated recovery period for Bautista is a minimum of 12 months post-surgery, indicating that he will likely be unavailable for the majority, if not the entirety, of the 2026 MLB season as he undergoes rehabilitation.
This marks the second significant injury that Bautista has encountered during his time in Major League Baseball. He was absent for the entirety of the 2024 MLB season as he recuperated from Tommy John surgery.
Bautista successfully made his comeback in time for the commencement of the 2025 MLB season and was performing exceptionally well before sustaining his recent injury. Over the course of 34 2/3 innings, Bautista recorded an earned run average of 2.60 and tallied 50 strikeouts.
When in good health, Bautista has consistently ranked among the elite relief pitchers in the major leagues. He made a noteworthy entrance onto the scene in 2022, registering an ERA of 2.19 during his rookie season. After initially serving as a late-inning reliever for the first couple of months, Bautista secured the closer role in August of that year and concluded the season on a high note.
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He demonstrated even greater prowess in 2023. Bautista maintained his role as the closer throughout the entire season, boasting an ERA of 1.48 and accumulating 33 saves. This stellar performance earned him his inaugural All-Star selection. However, late in the season, Bautista was sidelined due to soreness in his elbow. He subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the entirety of 2024.
While his return in 2025 proved to be successful prior to the injury, his future prospects remain uncertain. Having undergone two major surgical procedures within a two-year timeframe, Bautista will face the challenge of proving himself once he returns to the pitcher’s mound.
