CLEVELAND — The Baltimore Orioles have received a significant blow to their bullpen. Dominican closer Félix Bautista was placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday due to discomfort in his right shoulder, according to the team.
You may be interested in:Padres interested in Sandy Alcántara and would consider trading Dylan Cease, according to reports Bautista, who returned this season after missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, began to experience discomfort while stretching in the bullpen during Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. Interim manager Tony Mansolino explained that the mishap set off alarms in the coaching staff. "Last night, the dugout phone rang in the seventh inning and I thought: 'That's not good.' Then they hung up abruptly and I knew something was up with Félix," Mansolino recounted. "He had started his warm-up process when everything stopped." The 30-year-old right-hander has been key for Baltimore this year, accumulating 19 saves in 20 opportunities — tied for sixth in the American League — with an ERA of 2.60 in 35 appearances. In addition, he has struck out 50 batters in 34.2 innings, limiting opponents to a .134 batting average. His last appearance was last Sunday against Tampa Bay, where he earned his most recent save. Since then, he did not see action in any of the three games in Cleveland. The club indicated that Bautista will undergo an MRI this Friday, once the team returns home. In his absence, the Orioles will turn to a committee of relievers led by the also Dominican Seranthony Domínguez and the Cuban Yennier Cano to close out games. "We are going to expand their roles and see how they respond," Mansolino said. "It's a delicate situation and we must handle it with caution." Bautista, who is 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 285 pounds, will not be eligible for free agency until 2028. He is currently in the final year of a two-season contract for US$2 million and will be eligible for salary arbitration at the end of this campaign. With Baltimore out of contention for the wild card in the American League, the team is expected to be sellers in the trade market before July 31, which adds uncertainty to the bullpen configuration for the remainder of the season.Orioles place closer Félix Bautista on injured list with shoulder discomfort







