Zach Eflin DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) played catch on Wednesday for the first time and is optimistic and hopes to return to the team soon. "I'm not interested in missing a lot of time," Eflin said. The 31-year-old's right-lat strain has been considered "very mild," and his timetable for a return will ideally be measured in "weeks than months." He will eventually go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning from the injured list, so there's a chance we won't see Eflin again until the beginning of May. The former first-rounder was looking good in his first three starts in his first full season with Baltimore before his injury, going 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with eight strikeouts and only one walk in 18 innings pitched. Eflin is a control artist, but his lack of strikeouts last year and to start this year is a bit concerning.

Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Tuesday that starting pitcher Zach Eflin (lat) will be placed on the injured list with a low-grade lat strain and will be shut down from throwing for a week, per the Baltimore Sun's Matt Weyrich. Eflin pitched well in Monday's 5-1 win against the Diamondbacks but was pulled after throwing 73 pitches due to what was reported to be shoulder fatigue. This is a blow to fantasy managers and the O's, as the team is already without Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) due to elbow inflammation. It remains to be seen who they will turn to to fill the rotation spot, although there are no apparent fantasy standouts. The team did sign veteran Kyle Gibson at the end of spring, but he is not fully ramped up and would not be of fantasy interest if he were to join the team and fill in.

Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that starting pitcher Zach Eflin (shoulder) left Monday's 5-1 win against the Diamondbacks after throwing 73 pitches due to shoulder fatigue, per the Baltimore Banner's Andy Kostka. Eflin pitched well against a tough lineup, allowing one run on four hits and no walks with one strikeout. He also hit a batter. Hyde mentioned that the O's will learn more on Tuesday, so fantasy managers should keep an eye out for more news. It would be a blow to fantasy managers and the O's if Eflin were to miss time, as their rotation is already short-handed with Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) on the injured list with elbow inflammation. Eflin has just eight strikeouts in 18 IP this season, but he also has a 3.00 ERA and one walk allowed, so he has served as an anchor atop the O's rotation.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Friday that right-hander Zach Eflin will start on Opening Day on March 27 in Toronto against the division-rival Blue Jays. Eflin gets the nod with fellow right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) opening the year on the injured list. The 30-year-old veteran closed out the year in Baltimore after the O's acquired him in a trade with the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, and he'll start the first game of the year heading into his first full season in Baltimore. Eflin has allowed four earned runs with two walks and only one strikeout in two Grapefruit League starts, but he had a sharp 2.60 ERA, 47 K's and 11 walks in 55 1/3 inning over nine starts to close out last year with the Orioles. While Eflin continues to rarely walk people, his drop in strikeout percentage in 2024 could be concerning. Treat him as a back-end fantasy starting pitcher with a shaky DFS matchup on Opening Day.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin has been named the team's starter for Game 2 in a must-win contest on Wednesday at Camden Yards in the wild-card series versus the visiting Kansas City Royals. Baltimore's backs are against the wall in the three-game series after losing to the Royals 1-0 on Tuesday despite an excellent showing from right-handed starter Corbin Burnes. They'll now turn to Eflin, who allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings for a no-decision in his last start of the year on Sept. 25 against the New York Yankees. The 30-year-old pitched well in nine starts for the O's, though, after being acquired from the Rays at the trade deadline in July, posting a 2.60 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 47 K's and 11 walks in 55 1/3 innings. Eflin's lone start against KC this year while with the Rays didn't go so well, as he allowed six runs (five earned) with a walk and three K's in five innings, although he recorded a win.