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Zach Eflin continues to gain momentum, as he produced his best performance since moving to the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline last month. The 30-year-old pitched seven shutout innings on Friday night to help the Orioles earn a 4-1 win against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays.
Continuing the encouraging start to his career with the Orioles, Zach Eflin allowed just four hits and a single walk against the Rays. Making his third start, Eflin had 13 swings and misses, including seven strikeouts with a high cutter, sinker and curveball usage in his 94-pitch outing. Cedric Mullins II and Colton Cowser hit solo home runs, while Ryan O'Hearn added two RBIs to seal the victory.
A nine-year veteran of major league baseball, Zach Eflin made his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016 and spent seven seasons with them. He penned a three-year, $30 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023 and delivered the best season of his career. He pitched 177.1 innings and picked up 16 wins with a 3.50 ERA, finishing sixth in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
Eflin was not able to reach the same heights for the Rays in the 2024 campaign, while the team also made a sluggish start. They were out of playoff contention by the All-Star break, so he was regarded as one of the best starting pitchers available at the trade deadline this year.
The Orioles came calling, as they needed a reliable starter with postseason experience and the ability to go deep into games.
"He’s been great in every way": Brandon Hyde lauds Zach Eflin impact on the Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles were active at the trade deadline by bringing in seven new players, although Zach Eflin could end up being the best addition.
Eflin was signed to be the third starter for a depleted Orioles rotation, behind Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez, but his role has become even more important after Rodriguez landed on IL earlier this week.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde lauded the impact Zach Eflin has had on his new team during his first two weeks.
“Wonderful. What he’s done for us the last couple starts is what we saw him do against us. Just quality, an ultra pro,” Hyde said.
“We don’t have a ton of veteran guys in there. For him, especially where we are rotation-wise right now, he’s a veteran guy that’s pitched in the postseason and made big starts in big markets. He’s been great in every way,” he added.
Eflin furthered his stature at the Orioles after his performance in the opening clash of their three-game series with the Rays on Friday.
The Orioles moved to a 69-48 record for the season following the victory, and they are now back atop the AL East with a one-game advantage over the New York Yankees.
