PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- In the 6 1/2 months since undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy, Zach Eflin has said multiple times how it feels like he has a “brand-new back.” It has made it easier for the 31-year-old to do simple day-to-day tasks -- such as lifting any of his four young kids -- and he’s more comfortable on the pitcher’s mound.
It’s also apparently gotten Eflin some of his velocity back.
On Thursday afternoon, Eflin made his 2026 Grapefruit League debut (his first game action post-surgery) and tossed two-plus scoreless innings in the Orioles’ 4-3 win over the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park. He gave up only one hit (a double by Ryan Vilade in the second) while issuing one walk and striking out three in the 40-pitch, 21-strike outing.
The most impressive numbers, though, came in the form of Eflin’s velo, as all six of his pitches were coming out harder than in 2025, when he dealt with back soreness much of the year and had three stints on the injured list. He maxed out at 94 mph, with the averages on his sinker (92.2), four-seam fastball (92.9) and cutter (90.3) above last season’s marks.
“I think it's probably all mechanics. I was kind of surprised at how it was coming out,” said Eflin, who had a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts last year. “But that's what I used to expect. Genuinely, how I feel right now is how I used to feel when I was throwing a little harder. I'm hoping that continues to keep climbing up, and if it doesn’t, that’s fine. I feel healthy. I was hitting my spots.”
The O’s and Eflin are both hopeful he can revert to that form, now that his health allows him to go back to his old mechanics. The best two-year stretch of his career came across the 2023 and ‘24 seasons, when he posted a 3.54 ERA in 343 innings over 59 starts for Tampa Bay and Baltimore.
Eflin’s first Grapefruit start is a sign he could again be a durable quality arm for the rotation.
“There were a lot of nerves going into this,” said Eflin, who re-signed with the Orioles on a one-year, $10 million deal on Dec. 28. “But going out there and feeling the way that I did and just being able to pitch every single pitch healthy, strong, how I wanted to, was extremely refreshing.”
If Eflin is built up in time for the start of the season, the O’s will have six starters for only five spots (unless they decide to utilize all of them). Eflin’s goal coming into Spring Training was to avoid opening the year on the IL, and he remains confident he can do so.
“I feel like I’m perfectly on track,” Eflin said. “I think as these outings come and I start going three innings, four innings, we’re going to have a better understanding of where we’re at. But my mind’s on the first week of the season.”
However, manager Craig Albernaz hasn’t wanted to look too far ahead with it still being early March.
“It’s just a matter of how he’s feeling during the buildup process,” Albernaz said. “Just want him to have the one challenge ahead of him and attack it, and then, we’ll read and react to each one.”
Reunion with Hyde
Several members of the Orioles’ roster and staff got an opportunity to catch up with Brandon Hyde, the former Baltimore manager who is now a senior advisor in Tampa Bay’s baseball operations department. The 52-year-old was the O’s skipper from 2019-25, before he was dismissed following a 15-28 start in ‘25.
“So grateful for being here right now. But I just had six-plus great years there with great relationships with a lot of people,” said Hyde, who won the American League Manager of the Year Award in 2023. “It's just a strange feeling, kind of the way it happened in May and then not seeing people for a while. But it's great to see these guys."
The Orioles’ slow start to last season was unexpected, with injuries playing a big role in it.
“It was just a struggle. I wish I could have done more, and would have done more,” Hyde said. “Lost a bunch of guys in spring, and then, the first series of the year, we lost a few key players and just never got going. It was a challenge, really, from Day One.”
Minor League camp
The O’s Minor League camp opened on Thursday at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota. Albernaz stopped by in the morning to meet with players and staff, while also speaking to the group and emphasizing the type of culture he wants to see established throughout the organization.
“My mindset was there just to observe, but with the title, people want you to talk, which I did not mind,” Albernaz said. “I talked with the staff, got to be in the staff meeting, talked with all the [player development] staff and also addressed the players as well. It was great to be there.”