As the Baltimore Orioles continue to plummet in the standings, their status as sellers at the July 31 trade deadline is looking more and more like it’s etched in stone. Still with an impressive young core, the team won’t be looking at a total teardown, but rather to flip some short-term and ill-fitting pieces for longer-term options that better fit with their foundation.
There are several players who fit this bill, and one in particular who is becoming increasingly popular as the deadline nears. That player is closer Felix Bautista, and with the way the market is shaping up, dealing him at the deadline could give the Orioles a chance to procure the haul of their dreams.
Orioles closer Felix Bautista is becoming one of the hottest names on the trade block as the deadline approaches
Relievers are always in high demand at the deadline, and the 2025 season has put that into overdrive. The number of contenders looking for help in the late innings is staggering, and Bautista is quickly becoming a name who can help teams that need someone who can shut the door in the ninth, or serve as a bridge to an existing closer.
The mighty Los Angeles Dodgers have struggled with injuries all over their pitching staff this season, and just suffered another blow with relief ace Tanner Scott hitting the IL. The division rival Yankees have struggled to find consistency withthe bridge to their back-end duo of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.
Philadelphia just signed David Robertson off of his couch to fill the vacancy left by Jose Alvarado’s PED suspension, but it would be unwise of them to rely solely on a 40-year-old who has been away from the game for most of the season.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets are seeking answers to solidify their bridge to closer Edwin Diaz, and the Detroit Tigers have learned the hard way that a patchwork closer-by-committee approach has left an otherwise dominant roster vulnerable. Ditto for the Chicago Cubs, who have seen their plan of relying on youngster Porter Hodge in partnership with veteran Ryan Pressly fall flat.
With so many needy contenders, Bautista will have high demand even if the market seems flush. The Pirates will dangle David Bednar, but some of the other rumored top options, such as Minnesota’s Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax, and Cleveland’s Cade Smith and Emmanuel Clase, may or may not actually become available.
Even all of those aforementioned players do find themselves being shopped, Bautista’s track record of dominance will still put him at the top of most wishlists. Shockingly, his 2.60 ERA is actually the worst mark of his career, further demonstrating his talent.
Finally, Bautista doesn’t hit free agency until 2028, making him more than just a short-term fix. While you may believe that the Orioles should hang onto the 30-year-old due to that remaining control, his market may never be stronger than it is now, and as the laundry list of contenders interested in his services shows, a dominant closer is the cherry on top of a contending roster rather than a foundational piece.
It’s looking very likely that the demand for Bautista’s services will present the Orioles with an offer they can’t refuse, setting them up well to quickly return to contention in 2026.
