Félix Bautista (baseball)

Bautista signed with the Miami Marlins as an international free agent on November 19, 2012. Bautista made his professional debut for the Dominican Summer League Marlins in 2013, logging a 2.73 earned run average (ERA) with 17 strikeouts in 11 appearances. In 2014, Bautista pitched to a 12.41 ERA with seven strikeouts in 12+1⁄3 innings pitched across eight games. He was released by the Marlins organization on January 15, 2015.[3]

After not playing professionally in 2015, on August 4, 2016, Bautista signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization.[4] He was assigned to the Dominican Summer League Orioles, where he made 5 appearances to finish the year. Bautista returned to the DSL Orioles in 2017, posting a 4–3 record and 2.01 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 15 appearances (14 of them starts). He spent the 2018 season with the Gulf Coast League Orioles, pitching to a 4.33 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 27.0 innings of work across 12 appearances.

Bautista split the 2019 season between the Low-A Aberdeen IronBirds and the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds, accumulating a 3.44 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 26 total appearances between the two affiliates.[5] Bautista did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] He spent the 2021 season with three different Orioles affiliates: High-A Aberdeen, the Double-A Bowie Baysox, and the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. In 40 appearances between the three levels, Bautista posted a stellar 1.54 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 46+2⁄3 innings pitched.[7]

The Orioles added him to their 40-man roster following the 2021 season on November 19, 2021.[8] Bautista made the Opening Day roster for the Orioles out of Spring Training in 2022.[9] He made his major league debut on April 10, 2022, pitching in relief of Tyler Wells. In the game, he recorded his first major league strikeout against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco.[10] On May 10, Bautista earned his first career save, closing out a 5–3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.[11] When the Orioles traded Jorge López, Bautista succeeded him as the Orioles' closer.[12]

Bautista was named the AL Reliever of the Month for April 2023 after going 7-for-7 in save chances, striking out 25 batters in 13.2 innings pitched, and posting a 46.4% whiff rate.[13] On May 20, Bautista pitched the ninth and tenth innings of an extra-inning victory against the Toronto Blue Jays, recording a career-high five strikeouts in the appearance.[14] On August 26, Bautista was placed on the injured list following a UCL injury that he suffered while pitching against the Colorado Rockies.[15] On September 30, it was announced Bautista would undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2023 and 2024 seasons.