Zach Eflin officially became a free agent yesterday, the obvious outcome for a pitcher with a $25 million mutual option on his contract who made one start and underwent elbow-reconstructive surgery.

Outfielder Rece Hinds hung onto his 40-man roster spot by receiving a new major league deal that’s slightly more than the minimum.

That transaction wasn’t obvious, but it could be motivated by a desire to keep Hinds in the organization if he hits the waiver wire. Sort of like the deals given to infielder Luis Vázquez and relievers Josh Walker and Rico Garcia in 2025.

The 40-man roster holds 37 players. The Orioles must add six who are on the 60-day injured list: pitchers Kyle Bradish, Ryan Helsley and Colin Selby, infielders Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg, and outfielder Tyler O’Neill. They can decline Mountcastle’s $7.5 million option and send him into free agency for the first time. Helsley exercised his $14 million option on Thursday.

Selby didn’t pitch this season due to a right shoulder injury that required surgery on his labrum and rotator cuff. He’s out of minor league options and still shy of arbitration eligibility after making $785,200 this year.

Another spot can open on the 40-man when the Orioles decline outfielder Luis Robert Jr.’s $20 million option, and they reportedly dropped infielder José Barrero, who became a free agent.

Of the seven players eligible for arbitration, only reliever Félix Bautista, shortstop Gunnar Henderson, infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Colton Cowser seem assured of being tendered contracts. Outfielder Leody Taveras and relievers Albert Suárez and Codi Heuer would be removed from the 40-man if non-tendered. MLBTradeRumors.com projects a $3.7 million salary for Taveras and $1.1 million salaries for Suárez and Heuer.

Players must be protected in the Rule 5 draft by Nov. 17, whether or not the Winter Meetings are canceled. Among the candidates are outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., infielder Aron Estrada and pitchers Michael Forret, Nestor German, Patrick Reilly, Levi Wells and Braxton Bragg.

Subtract Robert and the Orioles still have eight outfielders on the 40-man when O’Neill is factored into it, and that includes Reed Trimble, who was protected last November in the Rule 5. And it includes Taveras, whose status is uncertain.

Found among the pitchers is right-hander Yosver Zulueta, selected on waivers from the Cubs in June. He has a 5.32 ERA in 19 games with the Reds from 2024-25, and he posted a 3.74 ERA this summer in 20 appearances with Triple-A Norfolk.

*The Athletics’ Jim Bowden ranked his top 40 free agents earlier this week and he’s got Trevor Rogers 15th.

Bowden projects a three-year, $64 million contract for Rogers, which seems quite reasonable given the left-hander’s production over the past two seasons and a relatively soft free agent class in comparison to other winters.

Bowden puts eight pitchers ahead of Rogers, beginning, of course, with Tarik Skubal at “$350-$500 million depending on length of contract.”

The length of any conversation between the Orioles and agent Scott Boras regarding Skubal figures to be short.

Freddy Peralta is No. 2 at five years, $140 million, Michael King is No. 4 at four years, $118 million, Clay Holmes is No. 10 at two years, $44 million, reliever Adrian Morejon is No. 11 at three years, $42 million, closer David Bednar is No. 12 at three years, $55 million, Nick Martinez is No. 13 at two years, $48 million, and Foster Griffin is No. 14 at three years, $67 million.

The Orioles aren’t viewed as a “best team fit” with anyone in the top 40 except Rogers, and that includes outfielder Randy Arozarena (five years, $124 million.) They’re paying Shane Baz $68 million over five years and Kyle Bradish $90 million over five. The $18.5 million for Chris Bassitt and $10 million for Zach Eflin came off the books. Brandon Young made the major league minimum of $780,000.

The rotation depth includes Cade Povich, Trey Gibson and Luis De León, the eight-ranked prospect in the system per MLB Pipeline who pitched in relief in September but is going back to a starting role.

Rogers is expected to receive the $23.15 million qualifying offer and he’s expected to decline it, but the Orioles can negotiate with him in free agency until the anticipated Dec. 1 lockout. Rogers might want to secure a deal earlier, but only if it suits him.

Teams always want more pitching and the market for Rogers should be robust, especially for the organizations that can’t compete for Skubal or even Peralta and King. Rogers turns 29 on Nov. 13. Age isn’t a concern.

*Former Orioles prospect Noah Denoyer is back in the organization.

Denoyer, 28, announced on his Instagram account that he was hired as a minor league pitching development coach. He spent 2025 with the independent York Revolution before transitioning to the next phase of his career.

The Orioles protected Denoyer in the 2022 Rule 5 draft, adding him to the 40-man roster along with pitchers Grayson Rodriguez, Drew Rom and Seth Johnson and shortstop Joey Ortiz. The other four were expected, but not the undrafted Denoyer, even after he posted a 2.89 ERA and 0.935 WHIP in 21 games covering 71 2/3 innings at three levels of the system and averaging 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents hit .194.

Denoyer also pitched in the Arizona Fall League and started in the Fall Stars Game, but he registered a 5.61 ERA and 1.714 WHIP in 25 games with Norfolk in 2023. He was outrighted in June and underwent Tommy John surgery in September that cost him the 2024 season. The Orioles released him in March 2025.