Felix Bautista Injury Update: When Will the Orioles Pitcher Return After Optimistic Surgery?

The Baltimore Orioles had to go to the playoffs without one of their top pitchers last season when Felix Bautista was shut down for 2023.

The 28-year-old suffered what general manager Mike Elias said was a major injury he incurred during a regular season game against the Colorado Rockies in August.

"Félix Bautista has 'some degree of injury' to his UCL and will go on the injured list," Mike Elias said. "There's no clear timetable yet, but it's clearly a significant blow. Top pitching prospect DL Hall will be recalled to pitch out of the bullpen."

While the club did not provide a clear timeline for his return, it was reported that he could only return by the 2025 season.

The good news for Orioles fans is that he is progressing well and just finished two surgeries.

"Orioles closer Félix Bautista had additional work done on his pitching elbow Friday, but the team says it's not expected to change his recovery timeline from Tommy John surgery," the Associated Press reported.

"Bautista missed the end of last season. The Orioles said the All-Star had right elbow debridement and an ulnar nerve transposition with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas."

Who is Dr. Keith Master?

Bautista's recovery is on the right track, mainly because they have Dr. Meister as his physician.

Meister did Bautista's first Tommy John surgery last October 9.

Dr. Meister is the director of TMI Sports Medicine and has been serving as head team physician of the Texas Rangers since 2004.

He is a well-known name in the sports world industry, having been assigned as team physician to the Dallas Stars of the NHL and the USA Hockey team in the 90s. He also served under the same role for the FT Worth Flyers in the NBA D-League.

Dr. Meister specializes in arthroscopy, shoulder reconstruction for throwing athletes and treating and rehabilitating musculoskeletal sports injuries.

According to Becker's Orthopedic Review, he operated on five athletes in one month.

Aside from Bautista, he also performed Tommy John surgery on Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (October 13), Sandy Alcantara, pitcher for the Miami Marlins (October 6), Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (September 20), and New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez (September 20).

What is Tommy John surgery

Tommy John surgery was named after the eponymous MLB player who suffered an elbow injury in 1974. This surgery aims to restore the injured elbow's natural movement and bring it back to optimal function. The forearm's damaged ligament is replaced with a tendon graft. After the surgery, the player gets a new ligament that allows him to return to throwing.

Recovery varies depending on the severity of the injury. The longest period is 18 months, which is what's happening to Bautista.

A player, however, can return to full throwing in seven to nine months.

There is a high success for players who underwent Tommy John surgery, with 80 percent of those who had it returning to the same level they were playing before surgery.