The Blue Jays' right fielder originally sustained the injury when he tried to throw out the Orioles' Delmon Young at first base on April 21. After more than a month passed with little improvement, the 34-year-old Bautista had a cortisone shot in an attempt to subdue the nagging pain.
Bautista returned to the field a week later, but since then, he hadn't tested his arm to the degree he did on Tuesday, when he uncorked a pair of strong throws from right field; Bautista nailed Dustin Ackley at third base in the seventh inning before getting Chris Young on a play at the plate in the ninth.