Orioles acquire Eflin from Rays for three minor leaguers (updated)

The Orioles made their move for a starting pitcher on a busy day of roster shakeups.

An industry source confirmed that right-hander Zach Eflin, 30, has been acquired from the Rays for minor league pitcher Jackson Baumeister, outfielder Matthew Etzel and infielder/outfielder Mac Horvath. MLB Pipeline ranks Horvath as the No. 10 prospect in the system and Baumeister at No. 17.

Eflin, who’s under team control for $18 million next season, has posted a 4.09 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in 19 starts with only 13 walks in 110 innings. He went 16-8 last season with a 3.50 ERA and 1.024 WHIP in 31 starts and finished sixth in Cy Young voting in the American League.

This is the controllable starter that the Orioles sought without surrendering one of their top prospects. And they might not be done.

The Padres made Eflin the 33^rd-overall pick in the 2012 draft and traded him to the Dodgers two years later. He was flipped to the Phillies the next day in the Jimmy Rollins deal.

The Rays signed Eflin as a free agent in December 2022. He’s registered a 4.26 ERA and 1.229 WHIP in 177 games.

Eflin eventually could slot between Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer in the rotation. Rodriguez starts tonight and Kremer is slated for Saturday. The Sunday starter is TBA.

Because he started Wednesday, Eflin won’t be available to the Orioles until Monday’s doubleheader against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal first reported that the Orioles traded for Eflin, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan had the minor leaguers going to Tampa Bay.

The teams haven't announced it.

The Orioles must clear space on the 40-man roster and designated reliever Vinny Nittoli for assignment, per an industry source. Nittoli made two appearances with the Orioles and tossed four scoreless innings.

Baumeister, a Competitive Balance Round B selection out of Florida State in 2023, is the only first-day pitcher selected under executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. He had a 3.06 ERA in 18 starts with High-A Aberdeen and averaged 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

Hovarth, a second-rounder last year out of North Carolina, was batting .233 with a .745 OPS in 71 games with Aberdeen. Etzel, selected in the 10^th round last year out of Southern Mississippi, batted .307 with an .857 OPS in 51 games with the IronBirds and .261 with a .730 OPS in 32 games at Double-A Bowie.

Earlier today, the Orioles sent outfielder Austin Hays to the Phillies for reliever Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache, who are expected to report to the club later today. They didn’t have lockers set up during media availability.

“It’s tough, you know?" catcher James McCann said of losing Hays. "That’s the side of this business that a lot of fans don’t understand, a lot of people that aren’t in the clubhouse don’t quite understand, from the standpoint that Haysie’s like a brother. It’s one of those things that you can’t control. We talk about that a lot in this game is focus on the things you can control and let the things you can’t control kind of go. Obviously, that’s a business decision. We hope the best for Haysie in his new home and obviously hope that our additions help us move forward in succeeding in our goals, too.”

Update: The Orioles announced the trade, which also sent cash considerations to the club. And they announced the Nittoli DFA.

Domínguez and Pache reported. Domínguez is wearing No. 56 and Pache No. 26.

Another corresponding move will be made after Eflin reports.