Zach Eflin Scheduled For Bullpen Session Next Week, Aiming To Be Ready For Opening Day

"After an injury-ruined 2025 season, veteran right-hander Zach Eflin is back with the Orioles on a one-year deal. The 31-year-old (32 in April) underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure in August. At the time, he and the team indicated that while the procedure can come with a recovery timetable of four to eight months, he was hopeful that he'd be able to have a normal offseason after roughly 12 weeks of recovery."

"There hasn't been much concrete information about his rehab window since that time, but on a Zoom call with the Orioles beat, Eflin revealed that he's slated to throw his first bullpen session on Jan. 6 ( via the Baltimore Sun's Matt Weyrich). Eflin added that his goal is to be ready for Opening Day, though he noted that timetable is still very much subject to change."

"He'd slot in alongside Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer and newly acquired . That's a solid group if everyone's healthy, but that's a colossal "if." Eflin pitched just 81 1/3 innings last year before that season-ending back surgery. Bradish pitched only 54 innings between the minors and the big leagues as he returned from Tommy John surgery. Baz tossed a career-high 166 1/3 innings but totaled only 106 1/3 major league frames across the three preceding seasons, due primarily to Tommy John surgery."

Zach Eflin underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy in August and expected a shorter recovery that might allow a normal offseason after roughly 12 weeks, despite typical four-to-eight-month timetables. He is slated to throw his first post-op bullpen session on Jan. 6 and is targeting Opening Day availability, though that goal depends on his ramp-up and remains subject to change. A healthy Eflin would complete the Orioles' rotation alongside Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer and other starters, but several rotation pieces carry recent injury histories and limited innings. Baltimore has pursued additional starting pitching options, including Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors