Zach Eflin had the metal brace removed from his surgically repaired right elbow Wednesday, improving his range of motion, quality of sleep and frame of mind. He joked about no longer knocking over household items or bumping into his kids and leaving marks.

This is as close to normal as he’s felt in a long time.

Unfortunately for Eflin, it doesn’t change his status for the 2026 season. He’s done after making one start with the Orioles on March 31. But he likes the way his recovery is trending.

“I didn’t expect to feel this good so quickly after surgery,” he said yesterday while standing at a locker that still has his name plate above it.

“I think the hardest part is feeling as good as I do now, knowing I still have 12 more months. That’s the hardest thing. But rehab’s going great. I have more extension than I think I’ve ever had in my life, is crazy, so we’re hitting really good milestones and stuff. Kind of hitting everything I need to hit in terms of progression and rehab and stuff. So everything’s feeling good, man. It just stinks it’s gonna be long, you know?”

The Orioles re-signed Eflin to a $10 million deal in late December that included a mutual option for 2027. He underwent surgery on his lower back last summer after a third trip to the injured list – a lumbar microdiscectomy to repair a disc pushing against a nerve – and he broke camp as the No. 5 starter.

Eflin’s future is up in the air again after his Tommy John procedure. He expects to pitch at some point next season but doesn’t know when or where.

A return date isn’t set as a goal, and certainly not so soon after Dr. Keith Meister fixed the elbow.

“I think probably more so next year,” Eflin said. “I think last year with me personally with the back, it was like, I need to start on time, I want to start on time. That was my goal. This is a little different because it’s an arm injury. I’ve never really necessarily had a severe arm injury before, so I think I’m gonna play it by the book.

“I’ll tell you right now, my goal is to not spend anymore days on the IL than I should. So if I’m expected back in 12-to-14 months, I want to be back in 12 months. But we’ll kind of see how it goes. As of right now, everything’s great. I haven’t taken a step back at all. If anything, I’m probably ahead of where I should be, which is a good thing. So just taking it day-to-day, honestly.”

Eflin is rehabbing at Camden Yards when the team is home and an outpatient facility when it’s on the road. The Orioles want him in the clubhouse as a positive influence and a leader. He brings value whether or not he’s pitching.

It just isn’t the same as starting games for them and maybe stabilizing a rotation that’s statistically among the worst in baseball.

“That’s probably the hardest part is just being away from the team when they’re struggling,” he said.

“You always want to have your footprint on a team, and for me, my contract bought a lot more than just me physically being a pitcher. I want to be invested in every aspect that I can be. And it’s hard when the team’s on the road and they’re losing and I can’t really do much. I’m just kind of watching it like a fan. But it makes it more rewarding when the team’s home. We have a 10-game home stretch. I get to be plugged in and involved as much as I can be and be there for the guys in any way, shape or form possible. So I’m very thankful for them allowing me to stay along here and be at the home games.

“As much as the water’s muddy right now, it’s gonna clear out. We’re gonna figure things out, we’re gonna play timely baseball. It’s just, you’ve just got to get going.”

Infielder Jordan Westburg also had Tommy John surgery on May 13. Same procedure but a different recovery timeline for a position player.

“I do need to reach out to him and see how he’s doing,” Eflin said.

*Jackson Holliday’s 337-foot, three-run homer down the left field line last night, which provided a 6-4 lead in the fourth inning, was the shortest by an Orioles player at Camden Yards since Tim Beckham’s 333-footer against the Tigers on Aug. 3, 2017.

Holliday had multiple RBIs for the first time since Aug. 16, 2025 in Houston.

*Gunnar Henderson extended his hitting streak against the Tigers to 10 games, the longest by an Oriole since Adam Jones’ 11-game stretch from May 12, 2016-Aug. 3, 2017.

Henderson has consecutive games with three hits or more for the first time since Aug. 10-11, 2024.

*Triple-A Norfolk shortstop Payton Eeles hit his first home run last night, and it was a grand slam. He also singled twice.

Heston Kjerstad went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. Nestor German allowed three runs in six innings.

Left-hander Joseph Dzierwa struck out 10 batters in 5 1/3 innings for Double-A Chesapeake. He allowed three earned runs and four total. Aron Estrada hit his fifth home run.