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Baltimore Orioles Congratulate Zach Eflin on Big Career Milestone
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- Baltimore Orioles Congratulate Zach Eflin on Big Career Milestone
(Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images)
The Baltimore Orioles starting rotation lost a big piece back in March. During his season debut, right-hander Zach Eflin struck out seven batters across 3 2/3 innings while allowing just one run.
He dealt with some traffic but looked like he was back to his dependable self. Unfortunately, on his 74th pitch he felt discomfort in his right elbow and was forced to leave the game with trainers.
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Imaging along with a second opinion confirmed he had suffered a serious UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in early April, immediately ending his season.
What made the news so disappointing was the timing. The Orioles had signed Eflin to a one-year, $10 million contract this past winter along with a mutual option, hoping he could be a reliable rotation piece after his 2025 season was derailed by a back injury.
Given the uncertainty around what Eflin will look like coming off Tommy John surgery, it is unlikely that option gets picked up by Baltimore.
Despite the frustrating season, the Orioles still took time to celebrate a meaningful accomplishment in Eflin's career this week. "Congrats on reaching 10 years of MLB service time, Zach 🙌," the Orioles wrote on X during their current series against the St. Louis Cardinals .
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Reaching 10 years of service time is an accomplishment very few players in baseball ever achieve, and it speaks to the longevity Eflin has demonstrated throughout his career.
Eflin did not spend his entire career in Baltimore. He began with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2016, debuting at just 22 years old. He never quite reached his ceiling as a starter with the Phillies, often bouncing between Triple-A and the big leagues in his early seasons before becoming more dependable as his experience grew.
He eventually signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the 2023 season before being dealt to the Orioles at the 2024 trade deadline, where he immediately made a strong impression by posting a 2.60 ERA across nine starts.
2025 was a difficult year though, as his ERA climbed to 5.93, his highest mark in nearly a decade, which led to the one-year prove-it deal this past offseason.
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His Tommy John surgery has now extended the uncertainty around his future, but 10 years of service time is a milestone worth recognizing regardless of what comes next for Eflin and whether or not his time in Baltimore is over.
