Bautista 'progressing extremely well,' checks box with 2nd live BP session
Westburg resting due to lower back soreness, expected back soon
Jake Rill
@JakeDRillSARASOTA, Fla. -- Félix Bautista's return to game action continues to get closer.
The Orioles¡¯ All-Star closer has taken a big step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, as he threw live batting practice for the second time in five days on Thursday morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota. Bautista faced hitters for the first time on Sunday, then recovered well in the three days between the two sessions.
¡°He¡¯s progressing extremely well,¡± manager Brandon Hyde said. ¡°We love how the ball is coming out of his hand right now. We¡¯ll see how it goes. But right now, he feels great, and that¡¯s the main thing. His fastball is ticking up every time out.¡±
Heston Kjerstad and Gary S¨¢nchez combined for seven plate appearances against Bautista during Thursday¡¯s live BP. The 6-foot-8, 285-pound right-hander flashed his impressive stuff early, striking out Kjerstad swinging and setting down S¨¢nchez looking to open the session.
Bautista again struck out Kjerstad swinging on his 25th and final pitch of the day.
Catcher Maverick Handley, who was behind the plate, said he thought Bautista looked good and is close to being ready for Grapefruit League appearances.
That will be determined by Hyde, who stated his target for relievers is seven live spring appearances via either back-field work or exhibition contests. So Bautista -- who hasn¡¯t pitched in a game since Aug. 25, 2023 -- will likely need at least five more to be ready for Opening Day, which general manager Mike Elias said there was a ¡°very good chance¡± of at the start of camp.
The Orioles¡¯ bullpen will be much more potent with Bautista at the back end. He has emerged as one of the most dominant relievers in baseball in recent years, recording a 1.48 ERA with 33 saves over 56 appearances in 2023.
But Baltimore continues to be cautious with Bautista to ensure he can ideally return to that form.
¡°We just really need to assess after every outing what his recovery is like and all those types of things,¡± Hyde said.
Westburg out with back soreness
Jordan Westburg has not played since the Orioles¡¯ Grapefruit League opener on Saturday because of lower back soreness. The 26-year-old All-Star infielder felt the soreness while swinging in the cage and is getting a ¡°precautionary few days off,¡± per Hyde.
Westburg has been getting treatment and should resume swinging the bat in the next day or two, followed by a probable return to game action in a few days.
¡°He¡¯s really improving a lot every day,¡± Hyde said. ¡°He should be OK.¡±
The O¡¯s are expecting big things from Westburg, who hit .264 with 26 doubles, 18 homers, 63 RBIs and a .793 OPS during a 107-game 2024 sophomore campaign that featured a seven-week stint on the injured list due to a right hand fracture. He should play more third base than second in ¡®25.