BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Orioles right-handed reliever Félix Bautista will be reinstated Saturday after spending more than a year recovering from multiple serious injuries.
Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said the team will reinstate Bautista from the 60-day injured list, while fellow reliever Ryan Helsley will be shut down for the rest of the year due to his own injury.
Bautista last appeared in a major league game on July 20, 2025, after shoulder problems landed him on the injured list. He underwent surgery in August 2025 to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum and previously missed the entire 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Even with these setbacks, Bautista has shown dominance when healthy.
Between his 2022 debut and the end of 2023, Bautista posted a 1.85 ERA, a league-leading 40.4% strikeout rate and collected 33 saves in his second season. He earned an All-Star selection and took home AL Reliever of the Year honors.
After returning for the 2025 season, he threw 34 2/3 innings and recorded a 2.60 ERA, relying on a hard sinker that helped produce a career-best 50.7% ground-ball rate and a 35.2% strikeout rate, despite a career-high 16.2% walk rate. He converted 19 out of 20 save opportunities.
The Orioles hope Bautista’s presence can help them make a final push toward the playoffs before the season ends.