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.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (shoulder) has been activated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. The good news is that Eflin was only forced to miss the minimum amount of time due to shoulder inflammation. Eflin was average during his 19 starts with the Tampa Bay Rays this season, but he has turned it on since being traded to the O's. He has a 2.13 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 25/2 K/BB ratio across four starts with his new team. Despite pitching in Colorado, Eflin should be a solid streaming option for Sunday's slate.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (shoulder) could come off the 15-day injured list to start on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Eflin was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Thursday in what is one of the final hurdles for him. Hitter-friendly Coors Field isn't the ideal place to make your first start off the IL, but the way that the 30-year-old had been pitching before his shoulder injury will probably persuade fantasy managers to roll the dice. In his first four starts with the O's after being acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, he gave up only six earned runs on 24 hits while walking only two and striking out 25 in 25 1/3 innings for four wins. He wasn't nearly good in his 19 starts with Tampa, going 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 87 punchouts in 110 frames.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin (shoulder) sounds pretty confident that he'll be ready to return from the 15-day injured list when he's first eligible on Sept. 1. When asked if he'll be ready after 15 days, he said, "Absolutely. As I stand today, yeah, for sure. I'm not even remotely focusing on rehab starts." Eflin said his right shoulder already feels "10 times better" than it did earlier this week. The 30-year-old was put on the IL on Tuesday with inflammation in his right shoulder, but as things sound now, he won't need any rehab assignments before returning to the O's rotation. Eflin's fantasy managers are surely hoping he's right in his assessment of his injury and his timeline for a return. In his first four starts with Baltimore since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, Eflin has a 2.13 ERA with only two walks and 25 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.

The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Zach Eflin (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 17) on Tuesday with right-shoulder inflammation and recalled left-handed pitching prospect Cade Povich from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The team also put left-hander Keegan Akin on the paternity list and recalled right-hander Dillon Tate from Norfolk. Eflin's injury comes out of nowhere to blindside the O's and fantasy managers alike. The 30-year-old had been better since joining Baltimore in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays, as he posted four straight quality starts with 25 strikeouts and two walks in 25 1/3 innings in his first four starts with the O's. Povich, the team's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will now take Eflin's spot in the starting rotation. The 24-year-old southpaw has been shaky in his first nine MLB starts this year, going 1-6 with a 5.77 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 31 K's and 23 walks.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin had another great start on Thursday, tossing six innings of one-run ball against the Boston Red Sox while picking up his fourth consecutive win. Eflin struck out eight while walking none and allowed just five hits in the contest. It has been a night-and-day difference for Eflin since being acquired by the Orioles at the trade deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays. With Tampa, Eflin seldom went six innings, had trouble picking up wins, and just didn't look like his 2023 self. With Baltimore, though, Eflin now has a quality start and a win in all four of his starts, and he's looked much better while doing it. The veteran righty should be rostered universally at this point and could be a big part of fantasy rotations down the stretch.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin turned in a strong performance in Friday night's victory over the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, firing seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts. In his first start against his former Rays team since being traded away before the late-July deadline, Eflin picked up his eighth win of the season after scattering just four hits and one walk on Friday night against Tampa Bay. It's been a bit of a disappointing season for the 30-year-old veteran right-hander, but he does sport a rock-solid 3.83 ERA and 1.15 WHIP along with a stellar 104:15 K:BB across 129 1/3 frames ahead of a tough matchup on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin posted the second straight quality start for his new team in a 7-4 victory over the Guardians on Saturday. The 30-year-old tossed six-and-a-third innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three on his way to picking up his seventh win of the season. The righty now has a 4.05 ERA (3.70 FIP), 1.18 WHIP, and while the strikeouts aren't very high (18.9% K%), the walks are very low (2.7% BB%). He'll face a familiar opponent his next time out, his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays on the road next Friday.

Right-hander Zach Eflin struck out seven Toronto Blue Jays over six innings as he won his debut with the Baltimore Orioles on Monday. Eflin allowed 10 hits and three earned runs in his first start since being traded from the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday for three minor-leaguers. He is now 6-7 with a 4.11 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP along with 94 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 116 innings. Fantasy managers hope Eflin can be equally effective in his next start, when he faces an explosive Cleveland Guardians lineup on Saturday.