Baltimore Orioles All-Star Expected to Be "Full-Go" After Missing Entire Year with Injury

The All-Star closer should return to his dominant self in 2025.

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Felix Bautista (74) walks off the pitcher's mound after slipping while throwing a ninth inning pitch against the Colorado Rockies at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2023. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles were eliminated by the Kansas City Royals in the wild card round of the American League playoffs this season. It was a disappointing end for the O's, who are one of the youngest and most exciting teams in all of baseball. After winning 101 games a season ago, the O's were thought to be a World Series contender this year, but instead they bowed out earlier than in 2023.

As the O's look to turn the page toward 2025, they have several questions to answer. First, will they try and re-sign ace pitcher Corbin Burnes? How about premier slugger Anthony Santander? If they don't bring those guys back, how do they replace them?

Those questions are certainly daunting but there is some good news for the Orioles on the injury front.

Roch Kubatko of MASN says that closer Felix Bautista should be fully healthy by spring training.

Félix Bautista will be full-go in spring training. He was slated to face hitters this month rather than just throw from a bullpen mound. And the trickle-down effect should bring vast improvement to a unit that went from posting a 3.55 ERA in 2023 to a 4.22 ERA this year.

The 29-year-old Bautista was arguably the top reliever in the game in 2023, going 8-2 with a 1.48 ERA. He saved 33 games while striking out 110 batters in just 61.0 innings. He also made the All-Star Game and was a major part of that 101-win season.

He missed this entire season because of Tommy John surgery undergone last October.

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