The Orioles’ rotation situation is quickly unraveling, and the loss of another veteran star is just the latest blow in what’s becoming a brutal trend.
His hitting the IL with a grade 1 lat strain is about as “good” as bad news gets—at least it’s the mildest form of the injury. But even a short-term absence from your most reliable arm is a significant issue, especially with the O’s already scrambling to patch a rotation missing:
- Grayson Rodriguez (elbow inflammation)
- Kyle Bradish (Tommy John recovery)
- Tyler Wells (UCL surgery)
- Trevor Rogers (knee)
- Albert Suárez (shoulder strain)
- Chayce McDermott (lat strain)
That’s six starters, not including Eflin. It’s not just a depth issue—it’s a crisis.
The club recalled Colin Selby, who has shown flashes of effectiveness in limited 2024 outings, but he’s not a rotation solution. The bigger question is how they bridge the gap to April 19 when they actually need someone to take Eflin’s turn. Options on the 40-man include:
- Cody Poteet – has MLB experience and may be the safest short-term plug
- Brandon Young – intriguing prospect who’s stretched out and ready for a chance
- Grant Wolfram – lefty relief type, not stretched out as a starter
- Luis González / Kade Strowd – long shots, depth arms
If Baltimore wants a short bullpen-heavy approach until the 19th, that buys them time, but this is starting to feel like they’re duct-taping together a serious leak. A spot start or two from Brandon Young might actually be the smartest long-term move if they want to avoid overworking their bullpen early.
This is also where you start to wonder: is a trade for a back-end starter inevitable if these injuries persist into May? The Orioles’ offense is strong enough to carry a shaky rotation for a bit, but even that has limits.
Want a breakdown of the internal options the Orioles could promote or a list of potential trade candidates to watch for?