BALTIMORE -- For the second time this season, Zach Eflin has hit the injured list.
The Orioles placed Eflin on the 15-day IL on Monday, two days after he exited his start against the Rays with lower back discomfort. The 31-year-old right-hander threw only 28 pitches while allowing four runs in one inning in Saturday’s 11-3 loss at Camden Yards.
“I knew something wasn’t right,” Eflin said on Sunday morning. “I was able to deliver a pitch. Wasn’t comfortable. It kind of gets to a point where, once you stop moving around, it just locks up and tightens up and then you can’t really do much about it at that point. Just tried to keep moving as much as I could.”
Right-hander Brandon Young (Baltimore’s No. 19 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and will start Tuesday’s game against the Rangers in Texas. The 26-year-old has made three spot starts this season (his first appearances in the Majors), recording a 7.11 ERA.
Eflin was previously on the injured list with a right lat strain from April 8-May 11. It’s too early to tell whether Eflin will need to stay longer than 15 days on the IL again, manager Tony Mansolino said.
“We’re kind of still sorting through everything right now -- it’s hard to be optimistic or not be optimistic until we get all the information,” manager Tony Mansolino said before Monday’s game at Globe Life Field.
After getting moved from Tampa Bay to Baltimore ahead of last year’s Trade Deadline, Eflin solidified himself as a key member of the O’s rotation. He recorded a 2.60 ERA over nine starts following the deal, though he missed the second half of August due to right shoulder inflammation.
This year, Eflin (5.95 ERA in 12 starts) has not had as much success. He was named the Orioles’ Opening Day starter and had a 3.00 ERA in three starts prior to his first IL stint. However, he has posted a 7.16 ERA over nine outings since, including a 17.00 ERA over his past three starts.
Eflin became the 12th Baltimore player currently on the IL. That group includes five fellow starters -- right-handers Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery), Grayson Rodriguez (right lat strain), Albert Suárez (right subscapularis strain) and Tyler Wells (UCL repair surgery), as well as left-hander Cade Povich (left hip inflammation).
It isn’t the first time Eflin has dealt with this type of injury, as he went on the IL twice because of back ailments during his stint with the Rays. In 2023, he went on the injured list from April 8-23 due to low back tightness. In ‘24, he was out from May 20-June 5 because of back inflammation.