Can the Orioles All-Star Closer Bounce Back in 2025 After Tommy John Surgery?
With the calendar turning to 2025 and MLB Spring Training set to begin in just over a month in Florida and Arizona, the Baltimore Orioles and their fans have their eyes on the long-anticipated return of their dominant closer, Félix Bautista. Nicknamed “The Mountain,” Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2023 season, which caused the 29-year-old to miss the entire 2024 season. The Orioles, coming off back-to-back seasons of playoff disappointment, including a quick exit in the 2023 ALDS and a loss in the 2024 AL Wild Card series against the Kansas City Royals, hope Bautista’s return will be a catalyst for deeper postseason success. However, questions remain about whether the dominant reliever can recapture his pre-injury form after missing the entire 2024 season. Both the team and its fans are eager to see if Bautista can avoid the performance drop-off that sometimes plagues pitchers recovering from severe injuries.
Before his injury, Bautista was nothing short of spectacular on the mound for Baltimore. In 2022, his rookie season, Bautista quickly made a name for himself as a force within the Orioles’ bullpen. However, it was the right-hander’s 2023 season that truly set him apart from the rest of the league’s closers, as he showcased his elite talent. In his first full season as the Orioles’ closer, Bautista finished in the top 10 in saves with 33. Even more impressively, he led MLB in strikeouts among relievers, recording 110 strikeouts, demonstrating his ability to punch out hitters in crucial late-game situations. The Dominican Republic native’s strong 2023 season didn’t go unnoticed, as he was named to his first All-Star Game, earned All-MLB First Team honors, and was named the 2023 AL Reliever of the Year. With a 1.48 ERA over 56 outings in 2023, Bautista cemented his status as one of the league’s best closers before his injury.
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the Orioles have built a formidable bullpen, with more moves or signings in free agency still possibly on the horizon to support Bautista’s return. The recent signing of right-hander Andrew Kittredge to a one-year deal will add depth and experience to a relief corps that ranked 22nd last season in bullpen ERA at 4.22, a significant decline from its fifth-best ranking in 2023, when it posted a 3.55 ERA. In 2024, Kittredge had an impressive season with the Cardinals, finishing with a 2.80 ERA in a career-high 74 outings. Alongside Kittredge, the Orioles will also rely on key contributors such as Seranthony Domínguez, Yennier Cano, Cionel Pérez, and others to help ease the burden on Bautista as he works his way back into high-leverage situations this season. While the team and general manager Mike Elias remain optimistic about their closer’s return to form in 2025, they have built a solid supporting cast around Bautista, ensuring they aren’t overly reliant on their returning star as he completes his comeback from Tommy John surgery.
