Felix Bautista Leaves Game Due To Arm Discomfort

Star closer Felix Bautista left last night's game with arm discomfort, raising concerns about his injury and the Orioles' success.

Last night's 5-4 Orioles victory over the Rockies took a concerning turn when star closer Felix Bautista left the game with a potential injury. Bautista had already secured two outs in a save situation before throwing a pitch to Michael Toglia and appearing visibly shaken on the mound. He then departed the game accompanied by a team trainer, leaving Danny Coulombe to record the final out.

In a postgame discussion with MLB.com's Byron Kerr and other reporters, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde provided some insight into Bautista's condition. Hyde stated, "Bautista left the game with some arm discomfort. He is currently undergoing further evaluation. I won't delve into specifics at this time. We'll conduct a series of tests to determine the extent of the issue."

It is too early to determine the severity of Bautista's injury. It could be a minor tweak that sidelines him for a game or two, or it could be something more serious. Regardless, the mere possibility of Bautista being injured is a significant storyline, considering his crucial role in Baltimore's rise to the best record in the American League.

Bautista burst onto the scene in 2022 with an impressive rookie season, and he has taken his performance to even greater heights this year. The 28-year-old has maintained a remarkable 1.48 ERA and an astonishing 46.4% strikeout rate over 61 innings, successfully converting 33 of 39 save opportunities. While his 11% walk rate raises some concerns, Bautista has been nearly untouchable when he finds the strike zone, and his four-seam fastball, averaging 99.6mph, is one of the most dominant pitches in the sport.

The specific details of Bautista's injury remain unknown, but this is not the first time he has dealt with arm troubles. Prior to the season, Bautista faced challenges during his offseason training and Spring Training due to shoulder problems and knee soreness. However, he managed to overcome these obstacles and entered the season without any noticeable setbacks, leading to his subsequent success.

Losing Bautista for any amount of time would be a significant blow to the Orioles' chances of winning the highly competitive AL East, where they currently hold a three-game lead over the Rays. It would also impact their prospects of making a deep playoff run in October. If Bautista were sidelined, setup man Yennier Cano would likely step into the closer role, with Coulombe assuming the primary setup duties. Hyde could potentially split save opportunities between Cano and Coulombe based on specific in-game situations, utilizing Cano's right-handedness and Coulombe's left-handedness strategically.