There is a legend that has built through the outfield of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. If you listen closely, you can hear “Omar’s Whistle” fill the air with an electric light show, as “The Mountain” strolls down the outfield grass to the pitchers mound.
When Félix Bautista stands on the mound, it’s a giant staring down the batter, as he unleashes a fastball that hits 103 mph and a splitter that even a golfer couldn’t touch.
A game-changer as a closer, Bautista was the anchor of a bullpen that was dominating the baseball world. Arguably the best closer in the game, all of that changed on August 25, 2023.
With two outs and a 0-2 pitch, Bautista would throw a ball while stumbling off the mound. At first glance, it appeared as if the six-foot-eight Bautista had some sort of leg injury, but as he stood up, he grabbed his right arm.
Bautista would be pulled from the game, and testing would show a partial tear in his UCL. Everyone feared the worst, but Orioles officials kept hope in the fanbase.
Bautista would throw a few bullpen sessions and, as recently as last week, threw a simulated game, giving hope to the fanbase once again that Bautista could pitch again this season.
Sadly, it was announced that Bautista will be undergoing Tommy John surgery. The procedure will take place in the first or second week of October in Dallas, Texas, with Dr. Keith Meister operating. Bautista is expected to be sidelined until 2025.
“We just ran out of time for this to be a feasible and successful option for the postseason, and it’s not making sense,” Orioles GM Mike Elias said. “It became evident to us that this wasn’t going to get to where it needed to go in terms of his buildup and restoration of skill to go out and pitch in the playoffs for it to be worth losing more time.”
Elias also announced that the Orioles have agreed to a two-year, fully guaranteed contract with Bautista, who would have been arbitration eligible for the first time in 2025. This is similar to how the Orioles handled John Means’ situation after his Tommy John surgery.
Bautista finishes his 2023 season with an 8-2 record and 33 saves. He compiled a 1.48 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 61 innings over 56 appearances while striking out 110 batters.
We wish Félix a quick and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing “The Mountain” on a mound again in the near future.
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