After 556 days of waiting, recovering and hoping, Félix Bautista finally made his return to the mound yesterday in Sarasota. Any time a major pitcher returns from injury, it’s a big deal. Bautista returning to the Orioles feels all that much bigger of a deal—and not just because of his Mountainous frame.
When the Orioles’ King Félix was at the height of his powers in 2023, the Orioles had a certain aura of invincibility in close games. Despite missing the last month of the season with an elbow injury that ultimately required Tommy John, Bautista took home AL Reliever of the Year.