Details of Felix Bautista’s injury should have Orioles fans very concerned

Felix Bautista’s recovery timeline might be a nightmare for Orioles fans
Baltimore Orioles v Tampa Bay Rays
Baltimore Orioles v Tampa Bay Rays | Julio Aguilar/GettyImages

The injury to Félix Bautista took away the Baltimore Orioles' biggest trade chip ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and it would seem that the Orioles are still trying to figure out exactly what is causing the closer's shoulder discomfort. On the heels of the Orioles revealing that Grayson Rodriguez is undergoing surgery that will end his comeback bid for the 2025 season, it seems that Bautista also is trending toward not returning this season.

When Bautista was first placed on the IL, he underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. The Orioles, however, couldn't determine the cause of the injury due to the amount of swelling in Bautista's shoulder. A second MRI for Bautista is scheduled, but it doesn't cast an encouraging light on him returning this season.

This Felix Bautista injury detail should scare every Orioles fan watching

As was the case with Rodriguez, who should have had surgery much sooner, it seems like the Orioles are once again kicking the can down the road on an injury to one of their more important pitchers. The sell-off at the deadline confirmed that the focus shifted from the 2025 season to making sure the team can return to contention in 2026. Every decision that the Orioles make between now and the end of the season needs to be made to shape their roster for contention in 2026.

That should make the decision easy for the Orioles when it comes to Bautista: shut him down for the rest of the season. In a lost season, following a fire sale at the deadline, there is little reason for Bautista to return to the mound in 2025. Instead, the best choice would be for the Orioles to shut down their All-Star closer with the goal of having him ready at the start of the 2026 season.

The injury to Bautista lowers the chance he is traded during the offseason. Teams will want to see him return to the mound first, especially since his first season back from Tommy John surgery seemingly will end with some question about the status of his shoulder.

More Orioles News from Birds Watcher