Heartbreaking: Baltimore Orioles’ Superstar Closer Undergoes Additional Elbow Surgery, Still on Track For Potential Return
Baltimore Orioles’ superstar closer Felix Bautista has undergone an additional elbow procedure, according to MLB.com.
Already out for the season with Tommy John surgery, he’s still expected to be full-go for 2025.
Per Jake Dill of MLB.com:
#Orioles’ Félix Bautista had right elbow debridement and an ulnar nerve transposition today with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. The O’s do not anticipate any changes in his overall Tommy John recovery timeline and still expect him to return for the 2025 season.
While the timeline for the team may have not changed, it could change the goals for Bautista, who recently said he wanted to be back before the end of the 2024 season.
The O’s have Kimbrel and Yennier Cano implanted in the back end of the bullpen for 2024 in Bautista’s absence.
Bautista had a phenomenal year in 2023, going 8-2 out of the bullpen with a microscopic 1.48 ERA. He had 33 saves and struck out a whopping 110 batters in 61.0 innings. Regularly able to touch 100 mph, he’s one of the most uncomfortable at-bats in all of baseball. He was named to the American League All-Star team last year as well.
He made his Major League debut in 2022 and has 48 career saves.
The flamethrower is 28 years old and is under contract through 2027.
The Orioles won 101 games last year and captured the American League East crown. They were beaten in the ALDS by the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers.
They’ll enter 2024 as one of the favorites in the American League.
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Baltimore Orioles Fill 40-Man Roster After Adding Angels Infielder
The Baltimore Orioles made another move to fill up their 40-man roster before Spring Training starts. The Orioles announced that they claimed infielder Livan Soto off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels.
The 23-year old out of Venezuela originally signed as an international free agent with the Atlanta Braves in 2016, but due to them violating international signing rules, Soto was granted free agency in 2017.
He then signed a minor league contract with the Angels.
Soto was in the minor leagues with Los Angeles’ organization ever since singing with them, but he didn’t make his Major League debut until September 2022.
Altogether, he played in only four Major League games with the Angels.
After being designated for assignment earlier in February, Soto was claimed by Baltimore, filling out their 40-man roster.
General manager Mike Elias loves to make moves that not only improves the play on the big league field, but also in their farm system.
Soto is one of those players who can make an impact down in the minors. He’s only 23-years old and can benefit from playing alongside all of the Orioles top prospects and getting into their top-notch developmental program.
It’s still too early to see where Soto will ultimately wind up within Baltimore’s organization, but Elias has a knack for finding players who can make a dent in the organization.
As Spring Training approaches, expect to see Soto get playing time to see if he will end up in Triple-A Norfolk or with another one of their minor league affiliates.
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