Fortunes can turn on a dime. The Baltimore Orioles, who had been pegged as contenders, are facing a harsh 2025 reality. Their unexpected slide has sparked interesting trade murmurs all over the league. One name echoing loudly throughout the skyline in these talks is their formidable closer, Félix Bautista. This $2 million phenom with the electric stuff now stands as the talk of the speculation street, with new ties to a powerhouse rival: the New York Yankees.

The 2025 season has been a bitter pill for the O’s and their fans to swallow. Baltimore currently sits at 16-32, buried deep in the basement of the AL East. Their -85 run differential is a dramatic reflection of how they’ve struggled both at the plate and on the mound. Bautista has had a rough return from the IL. He has a 4.30 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 15 games covering 14.2 innings. Even though he has 7 saves, a worrisome 17.2% walk rate makes his decent 26.6% strikeout rate look less appealing, and he blew his first save on May 21st.

This situation has prompted discussion in prominent fan circles, notably from Derek Levandowski of the Pinstripe Territory YouTube channel. In an episode titled “5 Possible Yankees Trade Deadline Targets,” Levandowski expressed his surprise at Baltimore’s downturn. “It shocks me what has happened to the Orioles…this year, it looks like they’re going to be in dead last,” he stated.

He emphasized Bautista’s past impact, adding, “Losing Bautista last year really hurt them…He had a 1.48 ERA…61 innings, 110 strikeouts. Elite strikeout stuffs…So. I think even if you have to pay a little bit of a premium in pitching, I think he’s somebody you have to go out and get.”

The main reason Bautista would be attractive to a team like the Yankees is because of his insane 2023. “The Mountain” was unhittable that season. He pitched a minuscule 1.48 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP across 61 dominant innings. His monstrous 46.4% strikeout rate translated to 110 punchouts, and he totaled 33 saves. This top-tier performance earned him All-MLB First Team honors, showcasing him as a true game-changing force out of the bullpen.

Yankees’ potential interest in Bautista

But there is a very big “but” when it comes to getting Bautista: his health. He had Tommy John surgery in September 2023. Recovery was complicated by debridement and ulnar nerve transposition on the same elbow in February 2024. While many pitchers return from Tommy John surgery, a double procedure usually leads to a more challenging recovery.

Despite this, Bautista’s current contract — paying him a mere $1 million for 2024, 2025, and team control through 2027 — makes him a ridiculously good, low-priced asset if he does return to his old self. So, could the Orioles really trade away a talent like that?

Given their drastic and unexpected decline, the Birds are reportedly “contemplating significant trades.” Insider Ken Rosenthal has even suggested the team might pivot to rebuilding. This means previously “untouchable” players, like Bautista, are suddenly in play for potential deals, as the O’s look to stock their shelves for a future pennant push. Other top Orioles, such as Zach Eflin and Cedric Mullins, are available, too, according to reports.

For the current Bronx Bombers — who hold a 29-19 record and lead the AL East — it would be strategically advantageous to add him. Even with ace Gerrit Cole sidelined by injury, the emergence of Will Warren has stabilized the rotation. But their bullpen, despite having a 3.31 ERA (7th-best in MLB), has apparently experienced some early setbacks from a few individuals, including new closer Devin Williams. Bautista, healthy or not, has the chance to be yet another dominating high-leverage arm to round out their late-inning options for a deep playoff run.

The New York Yankees are known for making splashy trade deadline deals. They are never shy about bringing in win-now talent. Fans will recall the impactful acquisitions of David Cone in 1995, or, more recently, relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle in 2017. Brian Cashman has consistently shown a willingness to leverage prospect capital to bolster the team for a championship run, even if it involves calculated risks.