Eflin's Elbow Trouble Forces Baltimore Into the 60-Day IL Decision
The Baltimore Orioles are dealing with another arm injury to their rotation. Right-hander Zach Eflin, sidelined with right elbow discomfort, is getting a second opinion and has been moved to the 60-day injured list, the team announced Tuesday. Manager Craig Albernaz acknowledged the severity heading into the season: "The way it's trending, 60-day makes a ton of sense."
A Rough Start to the Year for Eflin
Eflin, who turns 32 on Wednesday, was pulled abruptly after just 3⅔ innings in his first start against Texas on March 31. The move marks another setback for a pitcher who has had his share of injury troubles. He re-signed with Baltimore for $10 million in the offseason after a frustrating 2025 where he landed on the injured list three times due to lat and back issues, finishing 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts.
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To fill the gap, Baltimore optioned right-hander Brandon Young to Triple-A Norfolk and acquired left-hander Nick Raquet from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade. Young impressed during his recent call-up, pitching five scoreless innings in Monday's 2-1 win over the White Sox. Albernaz praised the performance: "B.Y. stepping up, giving us five innings of shutout baseball was exactly what we needed. It just speaks to our starting pitching depth."
Raquet, 30, was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on Sunday and brings another left-handed reliever to the bullpen. Baltimore sent minor league second baseman Brayden Smith to St. Louis to acquire him. The 2017 third-round pick made his major league debut last year with two scoreless innings for the Cardinals in September. Before the trade, he was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two relief appearances for Triple-A Peoria this season.
Albernaz emphasized the value of adding depth on the left side: "You can never have enough left-handed pitching, especially relievers. You love the strike-throwing ability he has shown."
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