Baltimore, USA – Baltimore Orioles’ Dominican closer, Félix Bautista, will face a new and prolonged recovery process after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder on Tuesday. The procedure, performed in Los Angeles by renowned specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache, repaired a tear in the rotator cuff and another in the labrum.

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According to the medical diagnosis, the 30-year-old’s right will remain out of action for at least 12 months, which means he could miss the entire 2026 season and not return until 2027. The impact is significant for the Orioles, who have already suffered from Bautista’s absence since he suffered the first major injury to his right arm, a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), in August 2023. That ailment led him to Tommy John surgery that kept him away in 2024. Nicknamed The Mountain for his imposing presence on the mound, Bautista came from dominant performances in his first two MLB campaigns. In 2023 he was recognized with the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award, after recording an ERA of 1.48 and 33 saves in 56 appearances. In 2025, he managed to return to the field with some effectiveness (ERA of 2.60 and 19 saves in 35 games), although his fastball speed no longer consistently reached three figures. A discomfort during a warm-up in Cleveland raised the alarm in July, and after medical studies, the severity of the injury was confirmed. Now, Baltimore is once again without its star closer at a difficult moment, with a record of 59-67 and out of the fight in the American League. The bullpen has been handled by committee, with Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns and Corbin Martin sharing save opportunities. With this situation, general manager Mike Elias will have to rethink the rebuilding of the bullpen during the offseason, considering that several important arms also left the club at the trade deadline.