Arm injury for Bautista?

[Moose Milligan]

37 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

Orioles reset: Félix Bautista playing catch was ‘strange,’ a doctor says. Here’s what it might mean.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-reset-felix-bautista-elbow-ucl-injury-catch-what-it-means-20230911-s7qrsjovvra3ng2ydx3ipvulu4-story.html

 Good breakdown.  

I agree with the doctor, somethings up if they're letting him throw.  Elias is obviously going to be tight lipped.  I'm assuming, as others have mentioned, they're trying to figure out a way to get Bautista into the playoffs and will worry about anything else after the season.  

[MurphDogg]

It does seem like there is minimal advantage in getting the surgery now versus getting the surgery in November in so far as his availability for 2025.

If it is true that there is apparently minimal risk in attempting to pitch through the pain it if he can (that is, if it won't make the tear worse, the surgery more difficult, or the recovery longer), it makes sense to give him every chance to try to pitch in the playoffs. If that isn't true then he should be shut down. I imagine they are consulting with orthopedists who would know the risks.

[Aristotelian]

7 hours ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

Yeah I just don't know.  Having this exact same injury (plus a bone chip in the elbow where the tendon pulled a chunk of bone off the main bone) it is just an extremely painful injury.

 

After the initial swelling and soreness subsides....you can actually throw and do things underhanded like lifting weights or bowling, but anything over hand aggravates it in a matter of a few throws or even in a few seconds.  I don't see how it will be physically possible for him to throw overhanded  AND throw at a velocity that he was accustomed to.  95 to 100 MPH.

 

Having had this injury it just seems impossible to me.  As I said I was able to keep working out and bowling (I bowl professionally) but anything remotely overhand was excruciating. 

Maybe Bautista can change his delivery and go submarine style. 

[dystopia]

2 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

It does seem like there is minimal advantage in getting the surgery now versus getting the surgery in November in so far as his availability for 2025.

If it is true that there is apparently minimal risk in attempting to pitch through the pain it if he can (that is, if it won't make the tear worse, the surgery more difficult, or the recovery longer), it makes sense to give him every chance to try to pitch in the playoffs. If that isn't true then he should be shut down. I imagine they are consulting with orthopedists who would know the risks.

If it hurts to pitch he shouldn’t be pitching, period. 

[vab]

12 hours ago, paulcoates said:

I can't imagine the Orioles havent already ordered the imaging on his elbow and don't have the results.  There is no way they would let him throw if they didn't know.  My guess is he has a partial tear and the Orioles may be trying to see if they can slip him on to the post season roster to see if they can get another 7-8 innings out of him this year before off season surgery.  He is most certainly done for the regular season.  My guess is he will try to throw off of flat ground and then potentially off a mound in 2 weeks time.  If he can throw strikes, they will put him on the post season roster.  But I'd imagine he will be getting UCL reconstruction quickly after that decision has been made.

They can't put him into a playoff game having not pitched for over a month. He will have to get into a game before the end of the regular season and see how the elbow reacts the next day to have any chance at the playoff roster. 

[Number5]

7 minutes ago, dystopia said:

If it hurts to pitch he shouldn’t be pitching, period. 

Doc, it hurts when I do this.

Don't do that.

Okay, thanks, Doc.

That'll be $300.

[jabba72]

Pitching with a strained or torn UCL. Wow. Seems kind of unnecessary to me because I dont think he'll be the same pitcher he was. 

Imagine throwing 100MPH with that injury.

[Tony-OH]

There's a lot of speculations here which is fine, that's what the board is for, but if the Orioles are letting him throw a baseball at all then it means they have not ruled him out pitching again this year. 

Not having any idea what the injury is other than a "UCL injury," I'm going to remain a bit pessimistic about seeing the 100 MPH Bautista again this season, but I won't rule it out either.

That's not something I would have said when he walked off that mound so it's at least a sliver of hope.

[Aglets]

Agree that it makes absolutely zero sense for him to be playing catch etc unless the front office things there is a chance he can contribute here in Sept / Oct.   Personally, I think those odds must be pretty low.  But I am not a doctor.  Just hope they don't do anything to put him at further risk if there is almost no chance at him being his old self again this year.

[OnlyOneOriole]

56 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Maybe Bautista can change his delivery and go submarine style. 

Haha not a bad idea.  For whatever reason throwing underhanded puts way less strain on that particular ligament. 

 

Don't get me wrong when mine went I couldn't pick up a bowling ball for at least a month and 2 months before I could bowl again, but the strange thing is I could lift weights with pain but nothing excruciating right away. 

 

Still have not had surgery so it is possible to recover to some degree although obviously I am not trying to throw 100 MPH.  I cannot even imagine the paid I would have felt if I had tried to throw overhand while my elbow was all swelled up. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

31 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

Pitching with a strained or torn UCL. Wow. Seems kind of unnecessary to me because I dont think he'll be the same pitcher he was. 

Imagine throwing 100MPH with that injury.

Yeah I can't.  I am wincing and my elbow is hurting (seriously) just thinking about it. 

[Sports Guy]

 

[jamalshw]

I think we all know the situation here. The tear is minimal enough that he hasn't already gotten the Tommy John surgery. It's probably a matter of time. But he's out 2024 regardless and likely back at or near the beginning of 2025 whether he has it now or in November. 

If he can get back to 90% of what he was before the injury he can be useful in October and if he's on board with that as well (obviously there's a Players Union issue if they're making him tough it out) then it's worth seeing if he can get back to where he was (or close to it) and just pitch though October (or until the ticking timebomb says its over). 

Would he be throwing right now if the Orioles were say where Boston is? No. Will he manage to throw a competitive inning this year before the playoffs are over? Maybe. But to me, he's such a difference maker for this team that it's worth a shot given the downside (2 months delay in his TJ surgery) is minimal.

[IllinoisOsFan]

10 hours ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

Yeah I just don't know.  Having this exact same injury (plus a bone chip in the elbow where the tendon pulled a chunk of bone off the main bone) it is just an extremely painful injury.

 

After the initial swelling and soreness subsides....you can actually throw and do things underhanded like lifting weights or bowling, but anything over hand aggravates it in a matter of a few throws or even in a few seconds.  I don't see how it will be physically possible for him to throw overhanded  AND throw at a velocity that he was accustomed to.  95 to 100 MPH.

 

Having had this injury it just seems impossible to me.  As I said I was able to keep working out and bowling (I bowl professionally) but anything remotely overhand was excruciating. 

We really don’t know that Bautista has the “exact same injury“ that you do. 

[OldNewGuy]

Let’s hope Bautista has consulted with his agent, doctor’s, lawyers and union reps and get their opinion on his arm. There is no advantage to him to try throwing again if there is any possible chance of further injury. He has shown what he can do when healthy. He could cost himself millions. He does not owe the Orioles or their fans any possibility of further injury. This is a business and he needs to protect his equity. Let’s hope he has done due diligence for Felix Bautista