The Orioles finally have some positive pitching news.
Manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday that starter Zach Eflin “should be ready to go when he comes off the [injured list].” The 30-year-old has right shoulder inflammation.
Eflin, who was acquired July 26 from the Tampa Bay Rays, was placed on the 15-day IL on Tuesday, though it was retroactive to Saturday. He’d be eligible to be activated Sept. 1.
Eflin threw 87 pitches in his most recent start, a 5-1 win against the Boston Red Sox last Thursday. Hyde pulled him after six innings, citing fatigue. On Sunday morning, Eflin woke up with what he described as tightness and soreness but no unusual pain.
“It didn’t feel like a red flag to me or anything,” Eflin said.
He then tried throwing before Tuesday’s game in New York, a day before his next scheduled start, and Hyde said the soreness lingered. Left-hander Cole Irvin was recalled to start in Eflin’s place, allowing two runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings in the Orioles’ 4-3 loss to the New York Mets on Jesse Winker’s walk-off home run.
“[The inflammation] didn’t really go down as much as I hoped it would between starts,” Eflin said. “It more so just didn’t have enough time to completely heal before going back out there.”
He said he’s feeling “10 times better” and “not even remotely” thinking about needing a rehabilitation start.
Eflin has proven a pivotal addition to a rotation hampered by injuries. In Baltimore, he has a 2.13 ERA across four starts — all wins — with 25 strikeouts and just two walks. Hyde said he’s been “everything we’ve asked and more.”