Updating Félix Bautista and other pregame notes from the Yard

Orioles closer Félix Bautista is ready to return to the bullpen rotation. He said he feels good and could have pitched last night. Bautista was not available for Friday’s series-opening game with Boston, manager Brandon Hyde told reporters after that game, due to arm fatigue.

“It was mostly just fatigue. But thankfully I’m feeling a lot better, thank God,” Bautista said this morning with the help of team interpreter Brandon Quinones.

Hyde said before he would use Bautista, he needed to do more pregame throwing today. He wants to see one more throwing session before he puts him back into a game, should they get this game in.

“We’re waiting for the weather to break for him to play catch, so hopefully he’s available,” Hyde said.

Bautista recorded a six-out, 25-pitch save Tuesday against Toronto in his last game. He did some light throwing before yesterday’s game. The rookie is 4-3 with an ERA of 1.62 and 12 saves in 61 innings. His ERA is 1.10 in 16 1/3 innings since Aug. 5. He’s a key player on this club.

He was asked if he felt any issues with his arm over recent weeks or if this just occurred on Tuesday.

“Something I mostly felt after my last outing. I pitched two innings and I know something that my arm felt fatigued the next day. That’s why they decided to give me the four days of rest to hopefully recover from that and feel better,” he said.

Hyde was asked if he will have to alter how he uses Bautista going forward.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I might not go two innings with him, but, I feel like we’ve managed him pretty well.”

Bautista said this was a new issue and not something he experienced previously at any point in his career.

“Not really, at least not to this level. Maybe something due to my workload this year, the amount of innings I have pitched. So I think it has something to do with that.

“You know it’s a bit difficult, it’s a bit complicated for sure (pitching late into the season),” he said. “Especially when we’re this late in the season and we’re trying to figure out the best way to continue going forward and staying healthy, stay available. So we’re trying to work through those things to find the best avenue possible.”

Does Bautista feel he’ll need some maintenance of this issue the rest of the year?

“Well today I feel really good,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s going to look like going forward, but I’m confident I’ll be good to go and be ready to pitch the rest of the year.”

Right-hander Mike Baumann is back on the O’s roster, added today from Triple-A with righty Yennier Canó being optioned out after Saturday’s game. Hyde said Baumann will pitch out of the bullpen.

Hyde was asked about the standings and the Orioles falling five games back of Seattle for the final wild card spot with the Mariners holding a tiebreaker on the Orioles.

“We haven’t had a team meeting or anything like that but there’s a lot of encouraging going on. I think guys are very aware of the standings. It’s been a tough week, honestly. Yesterday was a tough loss, bad one. But we have an opportunity to win a series today. Let’s try to get back into winning series mode," he said. 

Hyde said that Adley Rutschman, Cedric Mullins and Gunnar Henderson are all out of the lineup due to the matchup with lefty Rich Hill, who allows an OPS of .704 to lefty batters and .790 versus right-handed hitters.

“They are all available. Adley needs a day off. He also took a foul ball yesterday off his foot, too. His foot is sore, but he will be available,” Hyde said.