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The Orioles made their move for a starting pitcher on a busy day of roster shakeups.
An industry source confirmed that right-hander Zach Eflin, 30, has been acquired from the Rays for minor league pitcher Jackson Baumeister, outfielder Matthew Etzel and infielder/outfielder Mac Horvath. MLB Pipeline ranks Horvath as the No. 10 prospect in the system and Baumeister at No. 17.
Eflin, who’s under team control for $18 million next season, has posted a 4.09 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in 19 starts with only 13 walks in 110 innings. He went 16-8 last season with a 3.50 ERA and 1.024 WHIP in 31 starts and finished sixth in Cy Young voting in the American League.
This is the controllable starter that the Orioles sought without surrendering one of their top prospects. And they might not be done.
The Padres made Eflin the 33rd-overall pick in the 2012 draft and traded him to the Dodgers two years later. He was flipped to the Phillies the next day in the Jimmy Rollins deal.
