For Orioles’ Bautista, it may be 2023 all over again

NEW YORK—Over the last three weeks, Félix Bautista has demonstrated the dominance the Orioles saw from him in 2023. That wonderful season ended in August and in October, Bautista had Tommy John surgery. That year, Bautista had a 1.48 ERA and struck out 110 batters in 61 innings.

Early this season, the Orioles decided to be cautious with Bautista and not pitch him on consecutive days or for more than one inning.

It wasn’t until May 21^st, four days after Tony Mansolino replaced Brandon Hyde as the Orioles’ interim manager, that Bautista worked in back-to-back games. He’s now done it five times, and after recording saves on Thursday and Friday nights, Bautista rested on Saturday.

Since May 31^st, Bautista has worked nine scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, walking three and striking out 15. His ERA, which reached 4.30 on May 21^st, is down to 2.70

“I still think there’s another gear, I really do,” Mansolino said on Saturday. “He’s been really good. I still think we’re going to look up here in July and he’ll go up another notch, and I say that with all due respect. He’s been incredible. I think there’s another gear for the guy. He’s getting closer.”

Bautista has been helped by the Orioles playing better under Mansolino because the team has more leads to protect than it did in the first seven weeks of the season.

On Friday night, he celebrated his 30^th birthday with a save, the first Orioles reliever to record saves on two different birthdays. He’s happy with where he is.

“I would say so. I feel like we’re getting to the hot stages of the season, and my arm, my body’s feeling much better right now,” Bautista said through a team translator. “I feel like it will get better as the weather warms up.”

On Friday night, Bautista struck out Aaron Judge with a 100-mph fastball for the second out in the ninth inning. Judge reached base in his previous four at-bats.

“It felt good. He’s a tough out, for sure,” Bautista said. “I feel like getting him out in that situation, took me out of it in a hurry.”

Bautista recently reached another milestone when he recorded his first pitch over 100 mph since the surgery on June 14^th against Los Angeles’ Mike Trout.

“We perked up when we saw it,” Mansolino said.

“It was a long process. There was a lot of hard work that went into it to get back to that form and to where I once was,” Bautista said.

After pitching two straight days, Bautista earned what the relievers call a spa day, a day of relaxation. Mansolino isn’t about to pitch on three consecutive days.

“It feels good. After I do so, I take the next day to recover and do what I need to do,” Bautista said. “I’m ready for the next day.”

The Orioles have several candidates for the All-Star team, but if Bautista keeps up his outstanding work, perhaps he’ll be back as he was in 2023 in Seattle.

“I haven’t thought about it yet, but if they elected me, it would be an honor to be able to go back and represent especially after missing more than a year,” Bautista said. “To be able to go back, it would mean a lot to me.”

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