Zach Eflin is finishing the season in much the same manner as in 2025, right down to his expressed desire to stay with the Orioles.

Eflin underwent lower-back surgery last summer to repair a chronic disc and nerve issue, entered free agency and signed a $10 million contract with the Orioles. He broke camp with the team that he most wanted to pitch for, started on March 31 and walked off the mound in the fourth inning with elbow pain that required a ligament-reconstructive procedure.

The season is almost over and Eflin is headed back into professional uncertainty. His deal includes a $25 million mutual option with a $2 million buyout. Free agency beckons again, and this time, Eflin is likely to return to the injured list while completing his rehab.

Whether he’s on a mound again isn’t in question. Eflin will pitch.

“Honestly, I feel amazing,” he said. “Probably ever since about four or five weeks after surgery I felt really, really good. I’ve reached all the milestones that I needed to. We’ll start throwing here in about a week and a half, two weeks. I’ve already started throwing plyos and stuff, and feel like I’m in as good of a spot as I can be heading into the offseason and the lockout, all that stuff. Yeah, just excited to start throwing.”

Eflin believes that he’s on schedule, if not a little further along. He says it with a smile while standing at a locker that he’s kept throughout the season.

“I’m not a very patient rehabber and it’s a daily conversation we have,” he said. “I’m always trying to push. I’m always trying to obviously get back as quick as possible. But where we’re at overall, I’m right where I need to be, if not ahead, for sure.”

The typical recovery window from Tommy John surgery for a starting pitcher usually is 12-to-14 months, a tad more than relievers due to the buildup and added stress on the elbow.

“Honestly, it’s really gonna depend how the whole offseason goes and everything,” said Eflin, who turns 33 in April. “I’m gonna have everything I need back home to throw my lives and throw my bullpens and stuff before the lockout’s lifted, whenever that may be, so I’ll be fully prepared, ready to go whenever a team … whatever happens.”

Eflin has a preferred outcome. His bond with the Orioles organization dates back to the 2024 deadline trade from the Rays. He posted a 2.60 ERA in nine appearance and started Game 2 of the Wild Card series against the Royals, but made three trips to the injured list the following season – twice for his back.

How much would he like another chance here?

“I mean, I’d love it,” he replied. “I tell you guys every year. I think from my standpoint, it’s really hard because these last two years have been some of the worst years of my life physically, just being on the field and not being on the field.

“I’d do anything to come back and play for these guys. These guys know that. I care so much about them. The front office, the players, the staff. But at the end of the day, I understand this is a business and wherever that takes us, it’ll take us, but at least from my point of view, I would love to be back, for sure.”

The Orioles are glad that Eflin chose to stick around over the summer and make the occasional trips. They value his presence, his leadership.

He just wishes that they hadn’t gone through so much turmoil. He could only watch as they fell into last place again in a second straight non-winning campaign.

“It’s tough, man,” he said. “I think everybody’s goal here is to win the game, right? And when you’re not doing that, it’s hard. Everything gets magnified and you don’t enjoy it as much because the goal is to win every single day. So it’s been tough not being a part of it.

“I try to be a part of it as much as I can, traveling on the road and stuff, but it’s different when you’re out on the field and you’re actually competing and showing how much you want to be out there. That’s something I just wasn’t able to do this year. So it’s especially tough for me, but at the end of the day, I’m a winner, I’m always going to be a winner, and we didn’t win this year. So it’s not a great feeling, regardless if I was out there or not. So I think there’s a lot of stuff that these guys can learn from this year, take it into the offseason, hit a big reset and then come out swinging next year. Come out throwing haymakers.”

*The Orioles haven’t listed their starter for Wednesday, but Kyle Bradish is on the injured list and Cade Povich was optioned. Unless a bullpen game is the solution, they could decide to recall Trey Gibson to close out the homestand.

Chris Bassitt is starting tonight if the weather permits. Rain is in the forecast throughout.

Gibson made eight appearances with the Orioles, including seven starts, and posted a 7.36 ERA and 1.909 WHIP in 33 innings. His major league debut was May 3 at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings.

He got the shuttle treatment and was brought up and sent down three times in May, the last after holding the Rays to one run in 5 2/3 innings. Gibson’s last game with the Orioles was on June 30, when he allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 against the White Sox.

A 4.32 ERA in 20 starts with Triple-A Norfolk includes the one run allowed in five innings Friday against Charlotte. Gibson surrendered two hits and struck out nine.

Anyway, he’s a logical candidate.

*Pete Alonso led the Orioles with 105 RBIs yesterday and Coby Mayo was second with 63.

The 42-RBI difference between leader and runner-up was the largest in the majors this season and put them on pace for the widest gap between two Orioles since 2004 with Miguel Tejada driving in 150 runs and Mevin Mora 104.

Alonso put more distance between them last night with a solo home run in the first inning and two-run shot in the eighth. Mayo, meanwhile, batted with Gunnar Henderson on third base and one out in the fourth and struck out.

Alonso’s 108 RBIs and Mayo’s 63 leave a gap of 45, one fewer than the Tejada/Mora combo.

Another opposite-field homer for Alonso in the first was his 18th this season to lead the majors and set the Orioles’ Statcast era record. Chris Davis had 17 in 2016.