Seattle radio host pressures Orioles All-Star to change nickname in awkward interview

Seattle radio host Dave Mahler asked Orioles star Felix Bautista to stop any notion of a ‘King Felix’ nickname. Evidently, there can only be one.

Felix Hernandez was a Seattle Mariners legend for a reason. He’s one of the best pitchers of his era, but he retired several years ago.

M’s fans are some of the most loyal in the sport. That’s why, despite Felix Bautista’s success this season with the Baltimore Orioles, a Seattle-area radio host made it clear he needs to drop the King Felix nickname…though it’s unclear exactly who refers to him by that name.

Bautista has been an electric closer for the O’s this season, with 23 saves and a 1.07 ERA to his name. He’s been one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball for one of the best teams in the sport as we speak. Can’t the man just enjoy his moment?

Orioles: Does Felix Bautista even go by King Felix?

So, this all started a little over a week ago, when the O’s social media team referred to Bautista as King Felix. However, that was understandably met with some backlash.

As Brady Farkas of Fan Nation stated in the moment, Baltimore ought to knock that off:

"“First off, the Orioles need to realize that it’s lame to steal nicknames. “King Felix” refers to Felix Hernandez, formerly of the Seattle Mariners. Also, Hernandez just stopped pitching a few years ago, it isn’t like he’s 30 years removed from playing and his nickname can be re-given. If you are the Orioles, come up with something more original…The Orioles wouldn’t like someone referring to another play as “The Iron Man” when that is reserved for Cal Ripken Jr.”"

As far as we can tell, they have, and this is by no means Bautista’s creation. It made for an awkward moment between Bautista and local Seattle media, which isn’t what the All-Star Game is about.

Essentially, this is a non-story that has been made into a melodrama thanks to Mahler. Let it go, folks.