FORT MYERS, Fla. – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde wants to get closer Félix Bautista three or four more appearances until the club breaks camp. Availability for Opening Day looks promising.
Bautista has retired all six batters faced in his first two outings, striking out four and totaling 24 pitches. Almost too efficient.
“I feel really confident with how things have been going,” he said this morning via translator Brandon Quinones. “I’ve been trying to focus heavily on attacking hitters, working on my secondary pitches to make them more effective, and I feel like things have been going really well and I feel confident.”
Bautista said he feels great today after retiring the Twins in order yesterday on only nine pitches.
“Just talked to our training staff,” Hyde said. “He responded very well from yesterday’s game, so love where he is right now.”