Zach Eflin has been named the opening day starter for the Baltimore Orioles in the upcoming Major League Baseball season. The team’s announcement came via a heartfelt social media video, capturing the moment Eflin received the exciting news from his family. Baltimore is set to face the Toronto Blue Jays on March 27 for their season opener.
Eflin, who will celebrate his 31st birthday on April 8, split last season between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Orioles, ending with a combined 10-9 record and a 3.59 ERA across 28 starts. After being acquired by Baltimore at the trade deadline, the right-hander excelled, achieving a 5-2 record and a remarkable 2.60 ERA in just nine starts.
This will mark Eflin’s second consecutive opening day start against Toronto. In the previous season’s opener, pitching for the Rays, Eflin allowed six runs over 5 2/3 innings as Tampa Bay fell 8-2 to the Blue Jays at home.
With Corbin Burnes having departed for Arizona on a lucrative six-year, $210 million contract, Eflin and fellow right-hander Grayson Rodriguez now stand as the Orioles’ mainstays in the starting rotation. Unfortunately, Rodriguez is expected to begin the season on the injured list, dealing with inflammation in his shoulder.
