Zach Eflin re-signs with Orioles on one-year, $10M deal

Jorge CastilloDec 28, 2025, 09:48 PM ET

CloseESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

The Baltimore Orioles announced Sunday that they re-signed right-hander Zach Eflin to a one-year contract as Baltimore continues to invest in its roster after a disappointing 2025 season.

Elfin’s deal is worth $10 million, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, and it includes a mutual option for the 2027 season and a $500,000 bonus if he is traded.

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Eflin, 31, was part of an injury-riddled Orioles rotation in 2025. He landed on the injured list three times because of lat and back ailments. He finished with a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts but had a low walk rate of 4.2% thanks to a dip in his strikeout rate and a spike in his home run rate. His production was a far cry from his 2.60 ERA in nine starts for Baltimore after he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline in 2024.

Eflin, who was the Orioles’ Opening Day starter last season, figures to slide into the back end of Baltimore’s rotation in 2026, with a healthy Trevor Rogers coming off a breakout campaign, Kyle Bradish healthy and Shane Baz recently acquired from the Rays for prospects earlier this month.

Dean Kremer and Tyler Wells are among the other internal options for the Orioles, who could add to their rotation depth before the end of the winter.

Improving the rotation, which ranked 24th in the majors in ERA last season, was one of the three priorities for Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias this winter after his club followed consecutive postseason appearances with a last-place finish in a loaded American League East.

He also aggressively addressed the other two this winter — adding a closer and right-handed power. The Orioles signed right-hander Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million deal, traded right-hander Grayson Rodriguez for impending free agent outfielder Taylor Ward and signed first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract.

MLB Network was the first to report the financial details of Elfin’s deal with the Orioles.

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