The American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles bolstered their starting rotation on Friday, acquiring veteran right-hander Zach Eflin and cash considerations from the Tampa Bay Rays.
In exchange, the Rays received three minor leaguers: right-hander Jackson Baumeister, outfielder Matthew Etzel and infielder/outfielder Mac Horvath.
Eflin, 30, is 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 starts this season, his second with Tampa Bay. He’s in the second year of a three-year, $40 million deal with the Rays after spending his first seven seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.
In 2023, Eflin tied for the American League lead in wins, finishing 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA in 31 starts. In his nine MLB seasons, Eflin is 57-60 with a 4.26 ERA in 177 games (165 starts).
Baumeister, 22, is ranked as the Orioles’ No. 17 prospect and No. 6 pitching prospect by MLBPipeline.com. This season, he’s 1-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 18 starts at Class A Aberdeen.
Etzel, 22, was a 10th-round pick in 2023 and is slashing .289/.363/.445 with 15 doubles, seven triples, six homers, 46 runs, 41 stolen bases and 47 RBIs in 83 combined games between Double-A Bowie and Aberdeen.
Horvath, 23, is the No. 10 prospect in the Baltimore system by MLBPipeline.com. This season at Aberdeen, he is slashing .233/.328/.417 with 19 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 26 steals and 41 RBIs in 71 games.
