Eflin acquisition, Hays departure signal shifts in approach for contending Orioles

BALTIMORE — The trades made by Orioles general manager Mike Elias on Friday weren’t blockbusters.

Time will tell whether the acquisitions of veteran starting pitcher Zach Eflin from Tampa Bay and hard-throwing reliever Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache from Philadelphia enhance Baltimore’s 2024 World Series aspirations to a meaningful degree. 

Eflin, 30, hasn’t been as good as he was last year when he finished sixth in AL Cy Young Award voting with a 3.50 ERA over 177 2/3 innings, but the right-hander is still an upgrade from Dean Kremer as the No. 3 starter and has postseason experience. His 4.09 season ERA may not wow you, but he’s walked just 13 batters in 110 innings and has completed at least five frames in all but one of his 19 starts in 2024, offering a high floor only a year removed from his career year. 

The right-handed Dominguez posted a 4.75 ERA with the Phillies this season to conclude an inconsistent tenure in Philadelphia, but he has obvious swing-and-miss stuff that the Baltimore bullpen has lacked. The 29-year-old has averaged 10.0 strikeouts and 3.0 walks per nine innings this season, but six home runs allowed over 36 innings have hurt his overall profile. 

Looking ahead to October, Dominguez also owns a 1.13 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 16 career innings in the postseason. 

“I know we’re getting a guy who has an exceptional arm, and he’s pitched in high-leverage moments and postseasons and [was a] big part of their World Series team a couple years ago,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We saw him earlier this year. It’s an electric fastball and a really good slider. He’s had his up-and-down moments this season but he’s somebody that we’re hoping can fit into the back end of our bullpen.”

Once considered a top-shelf prospect in Atlanta’s system, the 25-year-old Pache has really struggled offensively in the majors, but he’s a high-quality defensive outfielder with good speed, making him appealing for late-inning duty at the very least. His role may not come into full focus until we see what other potential moves are made before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. deadline. 

Most would agree that Elias needs to do more between now and then, especially on the heels of another poor outing from closer Craig Kimbrel in Friday’s 6-4 loss to San Diego. 

Even without knowing how these newcomers fare or what else the Orioles will do, these moves feel different than Elias’ efforts to improve last year’s club at the deadline. 

Trading veteran outfielder Austin Hays to the Phillies for Dominguez and Pache and acquiring an established starting pitcher for three minor-league players are more than just moves to try to upgrade the bullpen and rotation. Each signaled a shift in the Orioles’ approach.

Having been with the organization longer than any current Oriole, the popular Hays, 29, saw his role diminish in 2024 from starting left fielder who went to last year’s All-Star Game to a part-time player, making him expendable in the right deal. Still, it’s no secret that Elias has valued his established major league depth over the last few seasons — even as the outfield and infield had become increasingly crowded with prospects knocking at the door and making their debuts. Some have gone as far as even accusing Baltimore of hoarding its veterans as prospects remained blocked over the last couple years.

Trading someone who played a meaningful part in the dramatic turnaround from being baseball’s worst team to winning 101 games last season tugs at the heartstrings, but the day was always coming when the Orioles would begin moving on from some of their established — and increasingly expensive — veterans who got them to this contending point in favor of younger, cheaper options with more upside. The truth is Hays — who is making $6.3 million this season and scheduled to become a free agent after 2025 — was a strong candidate to be non-tendered this winter, so Friday’s trade allowed the Orioles to gain a rental reliever with upside as well as a reserve outfielder with three additional years of club control rather than potentially part with Hays for nothing. 

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More encouraging to the club’s bigger picture was the acquisition of Eflin, who is under contract for $18 million for the 2025 season. This isn’t just a rental starter, which is a major plus considering the pending free agency of ace Corbin Burnes and the 2025 injury status of both Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells. 

That the Orioles were willing to take on a financial commitment in a trade reflected in the prospect cost of super-utility player Mac Horvath, right-handed pitcher Jackson Baumeister, and outfielder Matthew Etzel. Per MLB.com, Horvath and Baumeister were the No. 10 and No. 17 prospects respectively in Baltimore’s farm system, but these weren’t dynamic prospects required for a proven upgrade to the rotation. 

To be clear, an $18 million commitment for 2025 is hardly prohibitive to the long-term health of the payroll, but it still represents the biggest contract commitment made in the Elias era, which coincides with the arrival of the new ownership group earlier this year. It’s certainly an encouraging development to be able to cast a wider net to augment a contending club. 

Not only did the Orioles improve on paper for the stretch run, but Elias altered course from how he’s typically operated in order to do it.