The Orioles placed right-hander Zach Eflin (back) on the 15-day injured list Thursday with lower back discomfort. The move comes just two starts after he returned from a back injury that sidelined him in late June. Eflin has struggled this season despite a 6-5 record, posting a 5.93 ERA, 16.2% strikeout rate, and a 5.8% home run rate. While the injury raises concern, he could still draw interest from contenders in need of rotation depth. If healthy by September, Eflin may provide value down the stretch. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should keep him on the radar.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin is a prime candidate to get moved at the trade deadline, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 31-year-old Eflin will be a free agent at season's end and does not figure to be in the team's long-term plans, with right-handers Kyle Bradish (elbow) and Tyler Wells (elbow) both expected to be back in the rotation in 2026. Eflin has had a down year in 2025, logging a 5.78 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 47 strikeouts in 67 innings (13 starts). However, the veteran was much better in 165 1/3 innings (28 starts) split between the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays in 2024, going 10-9 with a 3.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 134 strikeouts. Eflin has also been limited by injuries this season, so it's possible that an extended stretch of improved health could lead to him regaining his prior form down the stretch.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (back) will return from the injured list and start on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians, and he'll be followed by right-hander Charlie Morton in the series finale in Cleveland on Thursday, according to interim manager Tony Mansolino. Eflin, who has made 12 starts this year due to injuries, should have two starts before the July 31 trade deadline. The 31-year-old made two minor-league rehab starts and got built up to 68 pitches over four innings in his latest outing, so fantasy managers will probably want to fade him as a streamer in his first start back in the big leagues this week, even in a plus matchup against a Guardians team that ranks third-to-last in team OPS (.671). When healthy in 2025, Eflin has struggled to a 5.95 ERA (5.72 FIP) and 1.43 WHIP with 42 K's and 11 walks in 62 innings.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (back) had a successful rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Friday. While Eflin allowed five unearned runs over four innings and 68 pitches, he came out of the start feeling "great" and confident about rejoining the Orioles' rotation soon. Eflin hasn't pitched in the majors since June 28 because of discomfort in his lower back. The team could reinstate him from the 15-day injured list during an upcoming series against Cleveland that runs from Monday to Thursday, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. The 31-year-old has slumped to a 5.95 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP and 42:11 K:BB over 62 innings, but he could draw interest from starter-needy teams around the July 31 trade deadline.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (back) was decent in his rehab outing on Sunday with Double-A Chesapeake, throwing four innings while allowing five hits, two earned runs, one walk, two strikeouts, and giving up one home run. He is scheduled to throw Friday in Sarasota and then potentially rejoin the Orioles' rotation after that. Eflin was removed from his start on June 28 due to lower-back discomfort. After a few weeks off, this was his first rehab start, and it does not appear he experienced any setbacks, suggesting he will likely rejoin the Orioles rotation shortly after the All-Star break. So far this season, Eflin has battled multiple injuries, and when he has been healthy, he has not been great with a 5.95 ERA, 1.44 WHIP. His advanced metrics aren't much better (4.25 xERA and 4.41 SIERA). He will look to get back on track in the second half, but understandably, fantasy managers may want to see a good start or two before putting him in their starting lineups.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (back) is lined up to pitch a rehab game on Sunday, according to Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino. He last pitched on June 28 against the Rays, but he was forced to leave that start early due to lower back discomfort. Before landing on the injured list for the second time this season, Eflin went 6-5 in 12 starts with a 5.95 ERA, 5.71 FIP, and 1.44 WHIP. He was hit hard with a 2.32 HR/9 and an average exit velocity of 89.5 miles per hour against him, but the Orioles are still hopeful he will be able to contribute down the stretch. Eflin is also a name that has been swirling as a trade candidate for a second straight season since the O's could choose to move him at the Trade Deadline a year after acquiring him from the Rays.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (back) was able to resume throwing the ball on Saturday. That is positive news for Eflin who has been sidelined since the end of June due to lower back discomfort. The fact Eflin is throwing is a good sign, but he remains without a timetable to return. He figures to need a few more weeks, which includes a minor league rehab assignment. The hope is that Eflin is able to get back in the rotation by the end of July. He's posting an ugly 5.95 ERA,1.43 WHIP, and 42/16 K/BB ratio across 12 starts this season. Fantasy managers might want to look for a better alternative.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that they placed right-hander Zach Eflin (back) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 29) with lower-back discomfort and recalled rookie right-hander Brandon Young from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. Eflin injured his back during his start on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays and will now be out through the All-Star break. It remains to be seen if the 31-year-old veteran will be ready for his first turn through the rotation to start the second half in late July. Eflin has not been very reliable for fantasy managers in his first full season in Baltimore, recording a bloated 5.95 ERA (5.72 FIP) and 1.43 WHIP with only 42 strikeouts and 11 walks in 62 innings pitched over his 12 starts. Fantasy managers in deep-mixed leagues can drop Eflin for other options to close out the first half.

Baltimore Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said that right-hander Zach Eflin (back) is "trending toward in injured list" stint. Eflin was pulled from his start early on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays with a lower-back strain and will likely be put on the shelf with the All-Star break looming. The Orioles aren't going to take any chances with the 31-year-old, especially since he dealt with back issues the last two years. The former first-rounder only made it one inning on Saturday while allowing four earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out none. It's been a rough year for Eflin in 2025, as he's gone 6-5 with a 5.95 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with only 42 strikeouts in 62 innings over his 12 starts. Lefty Cade Povich (hip) is getting close to returning from a stint on the IL and could be the replacement for Eflin in Baltimore's starting rotation.

Baltimore Orioles starter Zach Eflin (back) suffered a lower back strain while warming up in the bullpen before his start on Saturday, per MLB.com's Jake Rill. Eflin attempted to pitch through the injury and got clobbered, allowing five hits and four runs in one inning of work against the Tampa Bay Rays. According to Rill, Eflin will undergo imaging, and the team is unsure whether he'll be placed on the injured list. The veteran right-hander has pitched to a 5.95 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with just 42 strikeouts across 62 innings (12 starts) this season. Much of that damage has come recently, as he's allowed 17 earned runs in his last nine innings pitched (three starts). Eflin may have been trying to work through lower back issues for an extended stretch, which could explain his recent struggles.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin departed his start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday with tightness in his lower back, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Eflin exited after allowing four earned runs on five hits in the first inning. The Orioles replaced him with righty Scott Blewett. It was the third straight disastrous start for Eflin, who combined to throw eight innings of 13-run ball with 22 hits allowed over his previous two outings. The 31-year-old has recorded a bloated 5.95 ERA with 42:11 K:BB and a 1.44 WHIP in 62 innings. He was on the 15-day injured list earlier this season with a lat strain and could require another trip to the IL if his back issue proves serious.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin did not fare well against his former team in Monday's 7-1 loss to the Rays. Eflin pitched five innings, allowing seven runs on 12 hits (including two home runs) and two walks with two strikeouts. The 31-year-old has had an erratic season and is now 6-3 with a 4.81 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and a 5.90 K/9 rate in 10 starts and 58 IP. On the positive side, his low K/9 rate appears to be due to some bad luck, as his swinging-strike rate is not out of line with his career average. Eflin will face a tough matchup in his next start at the Yankees. While he has shown solid skills at times this season, his unpredictability and the matchup make Eflin a sit candidate.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin bounced back nicely versus the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Coming into this start, Eflin had allowed 12 total earned runs over his last two starts. Eflin was sharp on Friday as he tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits, while striking out six batters in the win. To be fair, the White Sox don't have a good lineup, but Eflin did his job. The 31-year-old doesn't have pretty numbers with a 4.46 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, but this outing was encouraging. We'll see if he can keep the good times rolling against the Seattle Mariners in his next start.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin allowed 10 hits and eight earned runs over 5 1/3 innings in Sunday's 10-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. He struck out four, walked none, and hit one batter, falling to 3-2 in five starts this season. The 31-year-old easily had his worst outing of the year, and it started right away when he let up a CJ Abrams home run to lead off the game. He'd escape the frame with no further damage, but yielded three more long balls and six total runs one inning later (including one more to Abrams) before he'd finally settle in. It's one to forget for Eflin, who will carry a bloated 5.08 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 28 1/3 innings (17:3 K:BB) into his next appearance, which should come later this week against the Boston Red Sox.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (lat) was officially cleared to start Sunday's contest against the Los Angeles Angels. Eflin has been sidelined for nearly a month due to a lat strain. The southpaw made his last start on April 7. Through his first three starts of the campaign, the left-hander logged 18 innings of work to the tune of a 3.00 ERA and a stellar 0.83 WHIP. During this stint, he struck out just eight batters but only allowed one walk. Under the hood, the 31-year-old has generated a modest 3.43 xERA and a .257 xBA, which place him in the 56th and 43rd percentile among qualified pitchers. Given his elite control, Eflin remains a strong SP3/SP4 when looking to boost your WHIP ratio. This afternoon, he has an excellent matchup against the Angels and should be viewed as a strong play in all DFS competitions.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) will "more than likely" return from the 15-day injured list this weekend to face the Los Angeles Angels in the series finale on Sunday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles announced on Wednesday that Eflin would be returning from the IL this weekend after throwing a successful bullpen session, but now we know the exact date. Although the matchup will be an excellent one for the 31-year-old veteran -- the Angels rank 25th in MLB with a .665 team OPS -- but Eflin could be limited pitch-count wise in his first start back after throwing only 58 pitches in his only minor-league rehab start. Still, Eflin is tempting for fantasy lineups after posting a 3.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with eight strikeouts in 18 innings over his first three starts this year before injuring his lat.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) passed his final test with a successful bullpen session on Wednesday and will come off the 15-day injured list to start against the Los Angeles Angels this weekend, according to manager Brandon Hyde. It's unclear which game Eflin will start in Anaheim in a three-game series that starts in Southern California on Friday, but for fantasy purposes, the 31-year-old veteran will be an immediate streaming option in single-year and DFS formats. Before suffering a strained right lat early in the year, Eflin had posted a decent 3.00 ERA (3.97 FIP) and 0.83 WHIP with eight strikeouts and only one walk in three starts over 18 innings pitched versus the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Diamondbacks. He'll be facing an Angels offense this weekend that ranks 26th in baseball with a weak .657 team OPS.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (lat) traveled with the team to Minnesota and is set to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun noted that the southpaw's rehab start went well and that he is close to returning. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his bullpen session as this could potentially set him up to return to action this weekend. During his rehab start at High-A, Eflin logged four shutout innings. He allowed two hits and struck out four. Before his injury, Eflin held a solid 3.00 ERA with a stellar 0.83 WHIP. He struck out eight batters in 18 innings of work, but he showed strong command as he served up walks at a 1.5 percent rate. When he does return, he will be a viable SP3 in all formats, especially when looking to boost your team's WHIP.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) will start his minor-league rehab assignment with High-A Aberdeen on Sunday, according to MASN's Roch Kubatko. If things go well for Eflin on Sunday, the 31-year-old veteran hurler could be back in Baltimore's starting rotation late next week, potentially on May 10 in what would be a nice matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. He has been out since early April with a strained right lat, and when he's ready, the O's will have a rotation spot waiting for him. It will be a nice reinforcement for the team's rotation with Grayson Rodriguez (elbow, lat) potentially out until the second half of the season. Eflin looked good in his first three starts before getting hurt, allowing six earned runs on 14 hits while walking one and striking out eight in 18 innings. He's worth a look as a back-end starter in deep-mixed leagues if he's available on the waiver wire.

Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) is scheduled to throw his second bullpen session on Tuesday. Eflin threw his first bullpen session last Friday after landing on the 15-day injured list back on April 9 with a strained right lat. The 31-year-old veteran continues to make progress and could be cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment if he has another successful bullpen on Tuesday. The former 33rd overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2012 had allowed six earned runs while walking just one and striking out eight in 18 innings over his first three starts this year with Baltimore before getting hurt. Eflin was much better for fantasy managers last year after he was traded from Tampa to the O's, and he had picked up where he left off. He is a control artist that keeps hitters off balance, but his drop in strikeout rate is concerning for his overall fantasy upside.