Bautista is strikeout binging in 2023

The Orioles scored twice in the first inning yesterday and Gunnar Henderson homered into the bullpen in the second. A three-run lead before some fans had found their seats.

Félix Bautista had pitched on back-to-back days and in three of the last four, refusing to allow a run or issue a walk, limiting opponents to one measly hit and striking out seven batters.

Manager Brandon Hyde had no desire to use Bautista again, but it was nice to find out early that a closer might not be necessary.

It wasn’t official until Adam Frazier’s two-run homer in the eighth expanded the lead to 6-1, which became the final score over the Royals.

Mike Baumann worked a low-leverage ninth and the bullpen whittled its ERA to 3.34, fifth in the majors. Bautista and Yennier Cano could prop up their feet and watch.

Bautista has four blown saves but is crafting a season for the ages.

Out of 30 appearances this season, Bautista has failed to record a strikeout only in an April 18 game against the Nationals in D.C. He allowed one hit and notched the fifth of his 17 saves, two more than his entire total in 2022, when Jorge López began the season as the closer before the Orioles traded him to the Twins at the deadline.

The 4.9 walks per nine innings are an increase from his 3.2 as a rookie last season, but he’s struck out an astounding 64 batters in 31 frames for an average of 18.6.

That’s just an insane number. Hard to wrap the head around.

Left-hander B.J. Ryan holds the Orioles record for most strikeouts in a season by a reliever with 122 in 2004, per STATS.

Also according to STATS, Bautista’s strikeout rate is on pace to be the highest in major league history with a minimum of 30 innings. Aroldis Chapman holds the record with 17.67 back in 2014 with the Reds.

Let’s keep going.

The Mets’ Edwin Díaz is next at 17.13 in 2022, followed by the Red Sox’s Darwinzon Hernández at 16.91 in 2019 and the Marlins’ Carter Capps at 16.84 in 2015.

The Orioles purchased Hernández’s contract in January and outrighted him a month later. He remains in the organization with Triple-A Norfolk.

Bautista began yesterday leading all relievers in strikeouts, and the gap wasn’t close. Seattle’s Matt Brash and Cincinnati’s Alexis Díaz were next with 48.

Also, Bautista has posted a 1.16 ERA and 1.065 WHIP with only two home runs allowed, and opponents are batting .147 against him. His 17 saves were tied for second in the majors.

His light show and hype video also are elite.

There’s no way that Bautista should be excluded from the All-Star Game unless he experiences a monumental collapse leading into the break. Catcher Adley Rutschman also feels like a favorite, which would give the Orioles multiple selections for the first time since 2016 with Manny Machado, Matt Wieters, Mark Trumbo, Zack Britton and Brad Brach.

Jonathan Schoop represented the Orioles in 2017, Machado in 2018, John Means in 2019, Cedric Mullins in 2021 and López in 2022. The pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Midsummer Classic.

The Orioles had multiple players between 2012-16. Catcher Matt Wieters was the lone representative in 2011.

This year's club is going for the series sweep today. The Orioles are 16 games above .500 again at 40-24.