BALTIMORE — A promising return to the mound ended in concern for Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin after he exited Tuesday’s 8-5 loss against Texas with right elbow discomfort.
The 31-year-old will undergo further testing Wednesday and is likely to be placed on the 15-day injured list, according to manager Craig Albernaz.
Making his first start since undergoing lower back surgery last August, the 31-year-old showed impressive stuff and had already matched his 2025 season high with seven strikeouts. However, after a lengthy mound visit from pitching coach Drew French with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, Eflin threw only one more pitch — a curveball way outside to Rangers batter Ezequiel Duran — and exited the game with head athletic trainer Scott Barringer as left-hander Grant Wolfram replaced him.
“He said he felt something, and that’s when we got ‘Wolfy’ going [in the bullpen],” Albernaz said. “Then, we saw the next pitch, and I was like, ‘No, we’ve got to make a move here.'”
Eflin allowed one run, five hits, and two walks while throwing 74 pitches in his 2026 debut.
It’s a very frustrating development for Eflin, who was last year’s Opening Day starter and re-signed with the Orioles on a one-year, $10 million contract in late December. While most expected the right-hander to ramp up slowly this spring while working his way back to full strength from last summer’s lumbar microdiscectomy, Eflin deemed himself ready to go at the start of spring training and ultimately beat out Dean Kremer for the final spot in the starting rotation.
“I feel for Zach. Everything he went through last year, he worked his butt off this offseason [returning from] back surgery,” Albernaz said. “He looked great in camp. He did everything he could do and beyond, and then something like that, the whole coaching staff, the whole team, you just feel for him. Your heart hurts for him. You never want to see anything happen to any player, especially someone like Zach.”
Making three different trips to the injured list — two because of his back — last season, Eflin was limited to 14 starts covering 71 1/3 innings and went 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA.
As of Tuesday evening, Kremer was scheduled to start for Triple-A Norfolk on Friday, but the Orioles were weighing whether to recall him to replace the injured Eflin on the 26-man roster. The 30-year-old Kremer wouldn’t be eligible to be recalled from the minors until April 9 unless replacing an injured player.
