Sports Media

Orioles Acquire Zach Eflin From Rays

Dominic Gutierrez / MLB / July 26, 2024

Orioles Acquire Zach Eflin From Rays

The Tampa Rays continue their sale as the trade deadline approaches. After shipping Randy Arozarena to the Mariners, the Rays have sent starter Zach Eflin to the Orioles.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic broke the news of the trade. The Rays are getting three prospects back, outfielder Matthew Etzel, right-hander Jackson Baumeister, and utility player Mac Horvath.

Orioles acquiring Zach Eflin from the Rays, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2024

Eflin is having an average year after finishing sixth in the AL Cy Young voting last year. He currently sports a 507 record with a 4.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts in 110 innings. The 30-year-old carries an 18.9 percent strikeout rate and a 2.8 percent walk rate.

The Rays traded starter Aaron Civale to the Brewers a few weeks ago, so the tables in Tampa Bay were already slowly turning. They’re currently 52-51 in the AL East and only four games back of a wild card spot.

Everything has been going right for the O’s except for starting pitching. They’ve lost Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells to UCL injuries. Outside of Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez, the Orioles’ rotation has been a coin flip.

Burnes is also set to be a free agent after this year, while Eflin has another year leading into the 2025 season.

Eflin signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Rays prior to the 2023 season, and the team will cover $1 million of his contract. The Orioles will be on the hook for the rest, but after a change in ownership and a will to win, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Out of the three prospects, two of them were in the Orioles Top 30 according to Baseball America. Horvath was ranked No. 13 while Baumeister was No. 18.

With a 2.0-game lead in the AL East, the Orioles will still be active. They already traded outfielder Austin Hays to the Phillies earlier today for bullpen and outfield depth help.

It’s a good deal for both sides. The Orioles get a starting pitcher it desperately needed, while the Rays will be able to work their development magic and hopefully turn those prospects into quality big-league pieces.