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.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (lat) will throw a side session on either Friday or Saturday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Eflin has been cleared to throw off a mound this weekend for the first time since suffering a right-lat strain back on April 7. The 31-year-old might require several minor-league rehab starts after he throws a couple of bullpen sessions, though, which means we probably won't see him come off the 15-day injured list and rejoin Baltimore's starting rotation until some point in early May, barring a setback. Before his injury, Eflin had a 3.00 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with eight strikeouts and only one walk in 18 innings pitched over his first three starts in 2025. When healthy, Eflin still has fantasy value in mixed leagues, although there isn't a ton of upside after he showed a dip in his strikeout rate a year ago with Tampa and Baltimore.

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.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin made his return from the injured list and took the mound against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. The right-hander missed two starts due to shoulder inflammation, but showed no signs of rust on Sunday. Eflin allowed only one run while striking out nine batters over seven innings of work. He's 5-0 with an impressive 1.95 ERA since joining the O's at the trade deadline. His next start is set to be against his former team the Tampa Bay Rays next weekend. Eflin is looking like a must-start fantasy option for that game.