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Baltimore Orioles’ Zach Eflin Opens Up About Heartbreaking Injury
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- Baltimore Orioles’ Zach Eflin Opens Up About Heartbreaking Injury
(© Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images)
It's one thing to have an injury-shortened season, but Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin got unlucky two years in a row. The 6-foot-6, 230-pounder made just 14 starts in 2025, partially due to a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure to heal his back, and he tore his right UCL in his first start of 2026. He underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday and is out for the season, per The Baltimore Banner.
Eflin opened up about how he felt when the injury occurred, via The Baltimore Sun's Jacob Calvin Meyer.
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"Really just felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest," he admitted.
Zach Eflin Has Uncertain Future With Orioles
Balitimore Orioles starter Zach Eflin (24). © Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Eflin has an established track record, but there's no guarantee that he'll pitch for Baltimore again. The 32-year-old has a mutual option on his contract for 2027 worth $25 million, per Spotrac.
The Orioles acquired Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays in July 2024, and he went 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA over nine starts for the remainder of that season. The Florida native also allowed one run over four innings in the playoffs.
Eflin then struggled before going down in 2025, going 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA over 14 starts. However, Baltimore re-signed the veteran to a one-year, $10 million deal in December, with the aforementioned 2027 mutual option.
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Eflin rehabbed his back injury over the offseason and was healthy to start 2026, but he made it through just 3.2 innings in his season debut against the Texas Rangers on March 31 before hurting his elbow. He exited the game with one run allowed on four hits with seven strikeouts against two walks. The Orioles lost 8-5 in what was their fifth game of the season.
With Eflin now out of the rotation, the group consists of ace southpaw Trevor Rogers , right-hander Kyle Bradish , right-hander Shane Baz , right-hander Chris Bassitt , and southpaw Cade Povich .
Eflin established himself with the Philadelphia Phillies , who first called him up in 2016. He stayed with them through the 2022 campaign, when he recorded a 3.38 ERA over 10 postseason appearances. They fell in six games to the Houston Astros in the World Series.
Eflin then signed with the Rays in the offseason and led the AL with 16 wins over 31 starts in 2023. He also had a 3.50 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.
Up next for the Orioles is a home series against the Arizona Diamondbacks starting on Monday at 6:35 p.m. ET.
