Orioles pitcher can change perception heading into free agency with strong finish

The last few weeks of the season mean a lot for this Baltimore Orioles veteran pitcher.

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A lot has gone wrong for the Baltimore Orioles throughout the 2025 season, which has the team in their current position.

The most disappointing team in baseball this year, the Orioles were considered a postseason contender at the very least, coming into the campaign with the upside to challenge for the World Series if a few things went in their favor.

One of the things Baltimore needed to pan out was its starting rotation, but that group has fallen woefully short of expectations right off the bat. Injuries and ineffectiveness have plagued the starters, with one player succumbing to both being Zach Eflin.

The veteran righty was originally acquired by the Orioles ahead of the trade deadline last year from the Tampa Bay Rays. He quickly proved to be an important piece of the puzzle, throwing incredibly well over the final two months of the season.

Locked into a spot for the rotation in 2025, Eflin’s role was expanding with the team. Because Corbin Burnes departed in free agency and Grayson Rodriguez was injured in spring training (and ultimately will not pitch this year), it was Eflin who assumed the role as staff ace.

He started on Opening Day and was continually matched up with the opponent’s best starter throughout the season. Unfortunately, he was unable to replicate the level of success he had in 2024.

Zach Eflin should be motivated heading into free agency

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Eflin has been unable to find his stride this year, landing on the injured list three separate times. First, it was a lat strain that sidelined him from April 8 through May 11. From June 9 through July 23, he battled lower back pain.

He made two starts ahead of the trade deadline, auditioning for teams that were on the lookout for some starting pitching help down the stretch. But the last time he took the mound was July 28 (three days before the deadline), as his back flared up again. He was still made available by the team, but no one traded for him, and he is expected to make a return before the season is over.

While wins and losses don’t mean much for Baltimore at this point, given where they are in the standings, the last few weeks of the season are incredibly important for Eflin, who is set to be a free agent this winter. Tim Britton of The Athletic (subscription required) observed that if the 31-year-old can deliver a strong finish to the season, his standing on the market will substantially increase despite his injury-plagued campaign.

Read More: Impending return of Orioles starters provides hope for stretch run

Elfin currently sports a brutal 5.93 ERA across 71.1 innings, with just 50 strikeouts. His FIP of 5.62 indicates that he has struggled mightily this season and it isn’t just bad luck weighing down his ERA. His current ERA+ of 68 would be the lowest mark of his career.

It would take more than the few weeks remaining in the season to turnaround those overall numbers, but it would mean a lot for Eflin’s standing in free agency if he could end the season on a high note.