Felix Bautista Has "Very Good Chance" To Be On Opening Day Roster
1 month agoBaltimore Orioles right-handed relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) won't pitch in Grapefruit League games until late in the spring and will mostly do backfield work until then. However, general manager Mike Elias said that Bautista has a "very good chance" to be on the Opening Day roster. Bautista had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in October of 2023 and missed all of last season, but he's been throwing bullpen sessions and should be ready for the start of the regular season, barring a setback in spring training. The 29-year-old could be eased back into the closer's role for Baltimore early in the season, but fantasy managers shouldn't ignore the fact that he was one of the league's best closers before his injury in 2023. Despite more risk being involved coming off TJ surgery, RotoBaller has Bautista ranked as the No. 7 fantasy closer.
Source: MLB.com - Jake Rill
Source: MLB.com - Jake Rill
Felix Bautista Could Make Spring Debut On Monday
2 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) could be back on the mound to make his spring debut against the Boston Red Sox on Monday. O's manager Brandon Hyde recently said he is hopeful that Bautista can pitch around seven games before the regular season. The right-hander was one of the best relief pitchers in baseball before missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. The team is likely going to ease him back into action, but Bautista has the potential to once again to be one the best closers in baseball.
Source: Jake Rill
Source: Jake Rill
Felix Bautista Nearing Spring Debut
2 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) threw his second live batting practice on Thursday and is nearing his spring debut. Roch Kubatko of MASN noted, "it won't be much longer until he pitches in his first Grapefruit League game." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears that the high-end closer is nearing a return to game action. He missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October. During the 2023 season, Bautista was one of the most dominant closers in the sport as he held a 1.48 ERA with a 0.92 WHIP across 68 frames. He tallied 110 punchouts with 33 saves, which were the third-most in the AL. Bautista was also placed in the 100th percentile in xERA and xBA. Given his current status, fantasy managers should expect Bautista to have a good opportunity to be cleared in time for Opening Day, making him a top closer to target in standard formats.
Source: Roch Kubatko
Source: Roch Kubatko
Felix Bautista To Throw A Few More Live BP Sessions
3 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that right-handed reliever Felix Bautista (elbow) will throw a couple more live batting practice sessions in camp, with the first one coming on Wednesday and another coming on Thursday. The Orioles are just being extra cautious with their closer, who didn't pitch at all in 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old threw 25 pitches in a live BP session on Sunday. The 6-foot-8, 285-pounder Dominican hurler was an All-Star in his second season with the O's in 2023, when he had an 8-2 record, 1.48 ERA (1.88 FIP), a 0.92 WHIP, 33 saves, 110 strikeouts and 26 walks in 61 relief innings. Fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect numbers that good in Bautista's return after a year layoff, especially since he's had issues with walks before, but you should still consider him a top-10 fantasy closer as long as he's healthy going into Opening Day.
Source: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
Source: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
Felix Bautista Throws Live Batting Practice
3 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) threw live batting practice on Sunday. This was the first time Bautista faced live hitters during his recovery process. Earlier in camp, the right-handed emphasized that he plans to be ready for Opening Day. Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2023 and missed the entire 2024 campaign. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Bautista's status, as he may even be cleared to participate in a spring training game in the coming weeks. During the 2023 season, the 29-year-old tallied 33 saves and held a 1.48 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP across 61 frames. He tallied an impressive 110 punchouts. He placed in the 100th percentile in xERA and xBA. When healthy, Bautista should be expected to be the top closer in Baltimore and should be viewed as a high-end relief pitcher in all formats. UPDATE: Bautista threw 25 pitches on Sunday and will have one more session on Wednesday or Thursday before making his Grapefruit League debut.
Source: Roch Kubatko
Source: Roch Kubatko