Just when you think the Orioles’ injury news couldn’t get worse, this cursed 2025 season unleashes another punch to the gut.
The Orioles announced that closer Félix Bautista underwent surgery on his right shoulder yesterday, which is expected to sideline him for at least 12 months. Bautista, whose 2025 season had already come to an early end, is now likely to miss all of 2026 as well.
It’s a brutal blow for the Orioles’ mountainous right-hander, who will have to sit out an entire season for the second
time in three years. Bautista missed the 2024 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery before making his highly anticipated return to the mound this year. Félix, with a carefully managed workload, pitched 35 games this season, going 19-for-20 in save opportunities and striking out 50 batters in 34.2 innings.
While his command was slow to return — with 6.0 BB/9 this season — Bautista gradually improved his velocity over the course of the year and was closing in on full strength until July 20, his first and only appearance after the All-Star break. During that outing against the Rays, Bautista slogged through a 34-pitch outing and walked three batters with noticeably diminished velocity. The O’s placed him on the injured list with right shoulder discomfort later that week. Turns out it was more than just discomfort. Bautista’s surgery yesterday was to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum.
Félix’s injury — along with the deadline trades of three veteran relievers — has thrown the O’s bullpen into disarray. The Birds have tried to cobble together a closer-by-committee approach in his absence, which could be more accurately described as throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. Since Bautista’s last save on July 20, four different relievers have picked up saves — Keegan Akin and Corbin Martin two apiece, and Dietrich Enns and the since-traded Gregory Soto one each — while the O’s have also unsuccessfully tried guys like Yennier Cano and Yaramil Hiraldo.
The Orioles will need to find a new closer for the 2026 season, and hopefully someone better than Craig Kimbrel, whose attempt to fill in for Bautista in 2024 ended very poorly. Among the closers who will be free agents after the 2025 season are former All-Stars Ryan Helsley and Aroldis Chapman, possibly as well as Edwin Díaz and Robert Suarez, who both have player options for 2026. Also available are Devin Williams or Raisel Iglesias, both of whom have struggled in 2025, along with 37-year-old Kenley Jansen. And Craig Kimbrel is still out there! (I’m kidding. I think.)
This really stinks for the Orioles and especially for Bautista, who — barring a late-September comeback next year, — won’t throw another pitch for the Orioles until his age-32 season in 2027. Best of luck with your recovery, Félix.
