Bautista’s return should elevate Orioles’ bullpen in 2025

The Orioles lost three starting pitchers to season-ending elbow surgeries in June. One of their top relievers missed more than half a season after surgery to remove bone chips that month, too, and one of the best closers in recent years imploded in the second half, causing a makeover of the Orioles’ bullpen.

The truncated seasons for Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells were damaging to the Orioles, as was the long absence of Danny Coulombe. The cratering of Craig Kimbrel was hard to watch.

But the Orioles still won 91 games and were the top wild-card team.

While all those injuries and Kimbrel’s downfall hurt the team, it was the season-long loss of closer Félix Bautista that hurt the Orioles the most. Bautista spent 2024 rehabbing after his Tommy John surgery last October.

Let’s look at Bautista’s marvelous 2023 season, which ended abruptly on August 25^th.

Bautista had a 1.48 ERA with 33 saves. He also won eight games. In half of those wins, he pitched two innings in 10-inning games on the road. He only pitched two innings in those four games—and won each of them.

Bautista faced 26 batters in those four games, allowing just two hits and two walks—striking out 15 of those hitters. In 2023, Bautista faced 237 batters and struck out 110.

He struck out an astounding 16.2 batters per nine innings. Wells, who threw 118 2/3 innings—57 2/3 more than Bautista, struck out 117 batters, just seven batters more.

The Orioles were leading the American League East by three games when Bautista was injured, and they went 21-23 after he was hurt.

They won 101 games in 2023, and 10 fewer this year, but looking at Kimbrel’s second half ERA of 10.50, it’s not a reach to argue that Bautista’s absence cost the Orioles the American League East.

The Orioles finished the season three games behind the Yankees, but with another dominant season from Bautista, they might have come close to equaling those 101 wins—even without the three starters.

In 2023, the Orioles’ bullpen was 44-21 with a 3.55 ERA, and this year it was 29-22 with a 4.22 ERA.

The Orioles signed Kimbrel only because Bautista was going to miss the season, but some of their other top relievers, Yennier Cano and Cionel Pérez failed to duplicate their 2023 success this season.

Cano, who joined Bautista on the 2023 AL All-Star team saw his ERA rise from 2.11 to 3.15. Pérez went from 3.54 to 4.53. Coulombe, whose $4 million option was declined this week was only available for 33 games instead of the 61 he threw a year ago.

There were some positive signs, though. Keegan Akin led the bullpen with 78 2/3 innings pitched and had a 3.32 ERA, and while Jacob Webb missed six weeks in the second half with right elbow inflammation, his ERA was 3.02. With all the time Webb missed, he was still third in innings among relievers, behind Akin and Cano.

Kimbrel’s unreliability and Coulombe’s absence forced executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias to make additions at the trade deadline, acquiring right-hander Seranthony Domínguez and left-hander Gregory Soto from Philadelphia in separate deals.

Domínguez’s $8 million option was exercised this week, and Soto is under club control for next season. Both Soto and Webb remain eligible for arbitration, and the Orioles have until November 22^nd to decide whether they’ll return.

Assuming Akin, Cano, Domínguez, Pérez, Soto and Webb return, there may not be much change—except for Bautista’s return—which can’t be understated. That relief crew would have three left-handers, Akin, Pérez and Soto.

Elias will surely try to add additional setup relievers, perhaps another who could close if Bautista doesn’t recapture is 2023 magic or if the Orioles decide to be a little cautious with him.

If the Orioles add some starters to their mix, Albert Suárez, who pitched briefly in relief in 2024, could be there in 2025. So could the intriguing Colin Selby, who unseated Matt Bowman for the last spot in the bullpen on the Wild Card Series roster.

Selby allowed one hit in four scoreless innings in three outings. Bowman declared for free agency after he passed through waivers this week.

The Orioles added two possible depth pieces to the bullpen this week.   Thaddeus Ward, who had a 6.37 ERA in 26 games for Washington in 2023 was claimed off waivers and 32-year-old Luis González, who has spent eight seasons in two stints in the Orioles’ minor leagues.

González spent the entire 2024 season at Triple-A Norfolk, and has never pitched in the major leagues, and his addition to the 40-man roster was a total surprise.

Akin, Bautista, Cano and Ward have options remaining. So does González, and Elias will need maneuverability among his bullpen pieces in 2025.

The bullpen doesn’t look to be a weakness, and if Bautista returns at close to his 2023 level, it could be a real strength in 2025.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.