Zach Eflin makes his return to the O’s rotation as Baltimore tries to win the series in the rubber match against the Halos.
Where to watch: MASN 2
Probable pitchers: RHP Zach Eflin (2-1, 3.00 ERA, 8 Ks) vs. LHP Tyler Anderson (2-0, 2.68 ERA, 34 Ks)
For the first time in weeks, the Orioles have a reason to celebrate. In addition to celebrating all the moms who make Birdland what it is, the O’s can celebrate the return of ace Zach Eflin on this Mother’s Day.
Eflin is back in the Orioles’ rotation after spending the last four weeks on the IL with a right lat strain. After posting a 2.60 ERA in nine starts with the O’s last season, the 31-year-old picked up right where he left off in 2025. Through his first three starts this season, Eflin was sporting a 3.00 ERA, .215 BAA and 0.83 WHIP.
To say the Baltimore rotation has struggled in his absence would be an understatement. Some recent strong starts from Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano mean this rotation no longer has the worst ERA in baseball, but it’s still last in the American League at 5.60. Without Eflin, Sugano was the only member of the rotation with an ERA below 5.00 and the 35-year-old Japanese rookie is also the only starting pitcher with a winning record.
The fact that Eflin is returning against the Angels might be seen as a stroke of luck—if this game were in Baltimore. The 10-year vet has a 2.37 career ERA against the AL’s LA franchise, but a 4.91 ERA in Angels Stadium. Last year with Tampa Bay, he made back-to-back starts against the Halos. During the first in Anaheim, he allowed five runs over five innings in a 7-1 loss. His very next outing, against the Angels in St. Petersburg, he tossed 6.1 shutout innings with five Ks.
While Eflin’s return is undoubtedly a positive, pitching hasn’t been the Orioles’ problem of late. The O’s are averaging less than three runs per game in their last 10 games, and have a league-worst .187 average with RISP.
Further casting an ominous cloud over their offensive outlook is Angels’ starting pitcher Tyler Anderson. The Orioles struggle against any lefties (their .177 average vs. LHP is also last in baseball). Anderson isn’t just any lefty, though, as the two-time All-Star is currently ninth in the AL with a 2.68 ERA and fourth with a .184 BAA. Anderson is on a streak of four straight quality starts, and last time against the Blue Jays, he allowed two runs over 6.1 innings while punching out seven.
Orioles Lineup
- Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
- Tyler O’Neill (R) RF
- Ryan Mountcastle (R) 1B
- Adley Rutschman (S) DH
- Ramón Laureano (R) LF
- Jackson Holliday (L) 2B
- Emmanuel Rivera (R) 3B
- Cedric Mullins (L) CF
- Maverick Handley (R) C
Angels Linuep
- Zach Neto (R) SS
- Yoán Moncada (S) 3B
- Jorge Soler (R) DH
- Taylor Ward (R) LF
- Logan O’Hoppe (R) C
- Jo Addell (R) RF
- Kyren Paris (R) CF
- Kevin Newman (R) 1B
- Tim Anderson (R) 2B