O's RHP Felix Bautista (partial UCL tear) may return this season

Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista has a partial tear to his UCL, but general manager Mike Elias said Monday that the All-Star right-hander is throwing and may return for the postseason.

"It's probably best characterized as an acute-on-chronic injury to his ligament," Elias told reporters, adding that doctors don't see a risk with Bautista throwing.

Bautista, 28, hasn't pitched since Aug. 25 and landed on the 15-day injured list the following day.

There is no set date, Elias said, on when the club would make a decision on Bautista and didn't commit to whether or not Bautista would need to pitch in a regular-season game.

Before the injury, Bautista was dominant, going 8-2 with a 1.48 ERA, 0.918 WHIP, 33 saves and 110 strikeouts in 61 innings over 56 appearances.

In 121 relief appearances over two seasons with Baltimore, Bautista is 12-6 with a 1.85 ERA, 0.924 WHIP, 48 saves and 198 strikeouts in 126 2/3 innings.