Injuries have been at the center of the Baltimore Orioles being the most disappointing team in baseball, and now an injury could be throwing a wrench into the front office's plans for the MLB trade deadline. Closer Félix Bautista was, perhaps, the biggest trade chip the Orioles had to offer with the deadline approaching, and now, it seems Baltimore will be forced to hold onto the veteran reliever. The Orioles announced on Thursday that Bautista has been placed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder discomfort.
Right-handed pitcher Kade Strowd was recalled to take Bautista's spot on the Orioles' 26-man roster. Of course, the larger implication is that Bautista will be on the IL as the deadline passes next Thursday. In theory, Bautista could still be moved, but it's not realistic to expect contenders will be circling with interest as he recovers from a shoulder injury.
With the injury, we now have one of the biggest answers to the Orioles' deadline approach. While there was no guarantee that Bautista was going to be on the move, in a seller's market, Baltimore could have gotten a haul for their All-Star closer, who is under control until 2028.
This Orioles injury might have just wrecked their trade deadline
The Orioles may circle back to the idea of trading Bautista this offseason. That said, if their goal is to return to contention in 2026, it stands to reason that Bautista will remain in place as the team's closer. If anything, if their 2025 struggles are repeated next season, Bautista could be one of the biggest trade chips at next season's deadline.
The injury to Bautista is a reminder for the Orioles' front office that they may want to get started on making moves. An injury to rental players such as Cedric Mullins or Ryan O'Hearn would throw the Orioles' deadline plans into even more turmoil. As one of the only teams that is a defined seller ahead of the deadline, the Orioles are in a position to cash in if they start making moves before next week.