Baltimore Orioles pitcher Félix Bautista was away from MLB for a whopping 556 days before making a return to the mound on Monday during the team's spring training game against the Boston Red Sox.
Bautista last pitched in a professional baseball game on Aug. 25, 2023. He suffered a right UCL tear that resulted in him undergoing Tommy John surgery.
It was a heartwarming and successful return for Bautista, as he put together a quick one-two-three inning on just 13 pitches (nine strikes) in the fifth. He struck out Trayce Thompson—the first batter he faced in 556 days—with a 96-mph fastball, and he couldn't help but break out in a big smile afterwards. He went on to strike out Nate Eaton and got David Hamilton to ground out to end the inning.
The crowd at Ed Smith Stadium rose to their feet as the top of the fifth ended and Bautista walked back to the dugout. He hugged teammate catcher Adley Rutschman and smiled at the crowd.
“That was very exciting," Bautista said via team interpreter Brandon Quinones. "I missed my fans. I missed hearing them every time I stepped onto the field. It was very gratifying being able to go out there today and hear them once again.”
Bautista is expected to make the Orioles' Opening Day roster as long as everything continues to progress well during spring training.
The 29-year-old pitcher played for the Orioles in 2022 and '23, etching a 2.19 ERA and a 1.48 ERA, respectfully, in those two seasons.
