Eflin could return Sunday to start at Colorado (plus other pregame notes)

LOS ANGELES – With 28 games left in the regular season, the chase is on for the Orioles. They are chasing a playoff berth and an American League East title, but also chasing the calendar in terms of getting their injured players back with enough time both to perform at their previous levels and also impact the playoff race.

In that regard, Sunday could be a big day for the team in their series finale at Colorado. Right-hander Zach Eflin can return from the injured list that day. He is 4-0 with an ERA of 2.13 in four O’s starts. The last one was Aug. 15 and he went on the IL with right shoulder inflammation after that game.

But now, without a rehab assignment or even having faced any hitters in a simulated game, he is on the verge of rejoining the rotation.

“He is a possibility for Sunday, yeah,” manager Brandon Hyde confirmed today. “I know he was going to throw today, but yeah, there is a chance he can pitch Sunday.”

Meanwhile right-hander Grayson Rodriguez threw off flat ground pregame twice during this series with the Dodgers on Tuesday and again today. Rodriguez, 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, last pitched July 31 and is on the IL with right lat/teres discomfort. 

"Feeling good," Rodriguez said today, updating reporters in the Baltimore clubhouse. "Think that is the most important thing right now making sure the arm is healthy. Playing catch and starting to stretch it out a little bit. Yeah, arm is feeling good right now."

Now Rodriguez expects to advance shortly to throwing off a mound.

"It will be soon. Exactly what day I'm not really sure, but I know definitely here pretty soon I get back on the mound," he said.

Rodriguez said whether he needs a rehab assignment will be up to the team. But two key members of the rotation, himself and Eflin, are encouraging each other as they both get closer to a return to the field.

"No one wants to be on the IL," said Rodriguez. "Makes it a little better when you get to travel with the team. Obviously we're going to get through this. It's not going to keep us out for the whole season, but we're chomping at the bit to get back out there." 

In further injury updates, Hyde said reliever Danny Coulombe still appears to be a player that could return sometime in mid-to-late September. 

That timeline is similar to what the team projects for infielder Jordan Westburg, on the IL with a right hand fracture. 

“He’s progressing extremely well, doing one hand, one arm stuff in the cages for the last week or so," said Hyde. "Doing more baseball activities and trying to get him in as much game shape as possible so when he does come off the IL that he is as close as we can possibly be. But he’s still on the same timeline right now. It’s progressing well. No setbacks."

Hyde also provided a positive timeline update on infielder Jorge Mateo, who had a left elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (Tommy John surgery) with internal brace and flexor repair yesterday in Arlington, Texas.

Mateo is out for the rest of this season but might be ready from Game 1 in 2025. Hyde said a return by Opening Day is realistic for Mateo.

“Yes. Yes it is," he said. "You never know how the rehab is going to go and if they are going to be any setbacks. It’s the non-throwing elbow which is a shorter amount of time. Hopefully there are no hiccups but I think it’s realistic that he could be around Opening Day is a good timeline."

The Orioles today officially announced the signing of 34-year-old right-handed reliever Nick Anderson to a minor league contract. He has gone 3-1 with a 4.04 ERA in 37 games this year with Kansas City. Last season with Atlanta, he was 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA. He has a 3.18 ERA in 158 1/3 career innings.

“(Pitching coach) Drew French is familiar with him from the Atlanta bullpen," said Hyde. "We are trying to bring in as much talent as we can. The waiver wire is looked at closely. Like all these guys we have claimed or signed, he’ll probably go to Triple-A and we’ll see how it goes from there."

With a win tonight, the Orioles would gain a half-game on the idle Yankees and complete back-to-back series with first-place clubs in the Astros and Dodgers by going 4-3. 

Does that tell Hyde his team may be slowly trending up?

"Yeah. We're grinding right now and we've been grinding for a couple of months, honestly," he said. "If we win this game tonight, it's a pretty good stretch against two really good teams. The effort our guys are putting in is fantastic. I think our guys are handling everything really well. It's a tough time in the season and we are banged up. To be competitive against two first-place teams, that's good. But we want to keep pushing and start doing some things a little bit better."