Well, that didn’t take long.
The injury bug struck again, as Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin exited Tuesday’s loss with right elbow discomfort.
The right-hander is scheduled to undergo imaging on Wednesday and is headed to the team’s 15-day injured list, O’s manager Craig Albernaz confirmed.
The severity of the injury is yet to be determined, but Baltimore is expected to be without its former trade deadline acquisition for an extended period of time.
“I feel for Zach,” Albernaz said. “You never want to see anything happen to any player, especially someone like Zach.”
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/8BlP5AIdMj
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 1, 2026
In a corresponding move, the team is calling up veteran right-hander Albert Suarez, adding reinforcements to a bullpen that has allowed 10 runs in the past three games.
The team is also transferring third baseman Jordan Westburg to the 60-day injured list, keeping him out until at least May 21. Doing so makes room for Suarez on the 40-man roster.
Before departing early, Eflin was coasting in his season debut.
He allowed a second inning solo shot to the Rangers’ nine-hitter Ezequiel Duran, but other than that, the veteran struck out seven batters and gave up four hits in 3 ⅔ innings.
The 31-year-old is no stranger to injury in his 11 years as a big leaguer, though an elbow injury has never kept him sidelined for an extended period of time in his career.
A season ago, Eflin’s campaign was cut short by back surgery, which held him to just over 71 innings on the year.
Baltimore was hopeful its fifth starter would return to the form they traded a trio of minor league prospects for back in 2024, when he posted a 2.60 ERA in nine starts for the O’s.
Now, less than a week into the season, Birdland has to watch yet another member of the starting rotation fall to injury.
Some things really never change.
The addition of Suarez, however, should provide a boost to Baltimore’s taxed bullpen.
The pen has thrown 10 innings over their past two games against the Rangers, allowing 12 hits, eight runs, and two walks. Suarez, 36, has thrown to a 3.59 ERA in 37 career games for the O’s, and grants them an extra veteran arm to their unproven group of relievers.
The move could also act as a holdover until Eflin’s next scheduled start, which is slated to be Monday, April 6 against the Chicago White Sox.
The team could keep Suarez as an extra bullpen arm for the next three days in an effort to call up Baltimore’s innings leader from a season ago, Dean Kremer.
Kremer was sent to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides a few days before Opening Day. The right-handed veteran would rejoin the squad “when he’s called upon,” according to general manager Mike Elias.
That time could be coming much sooner than hoped.
Kremer was slated to start for the Tides on Friday, a start which is now in jeopardy.
However, as explained by Jacob Calvin Meyer, since Kremer was not recalled for Eflin, he cannot rejoin the team until April 9, barring another injury.
State of the Orioles' already-taxed pitching staff:
With Zach Eflin going to the injured list tomorrow, the Orioles can replace him with anyone.
They might want that to be a reliever to help the taxed bullpen. But they might also want to bring up Dean Kremer to join the…
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) April 1, 2026
With Zach Eflin going to the injured list tomorrow, the Orioles can replace him with anyone. They might want that to be a reliever to help the taxed bullpen. But they might also want to bring up Dean Kremer to join the rotation. Baltimore needs a fifth starter by April 7.
Kremer can’t be recalled until April 9 — unless he replaces an injured player (Eflin).
If the Orioles have Kremer replace Eflin but still want bullpen help, they could also option Yaramil Hiraldo, Anthony Nunez, Grant Wolfram *or* Yennier Cano and bring up an eligible reliever (Albert Suarez, Jackson Kowar).
As JCM notes, there were options to call up Kremer but still add bullpen help. Even with Suarez replacing Eflin, the bullpen could still see some shuffling in the days ahead. Yaramil Hiraldo, a 30-year-old reliever who has allowed four earned runs in three appearances for the O’s this season, is on shaky ground.
Tyler Wells, who has allowed a run in each of his three appearances, may be as well. Much less likely, but with the current state of Baltimore’s bullpen, anything is possible.
Whatever the case may be, Baltimore’s pitching staff will be seeing some early movement as the bullpen struggles immensely to find its footing and one of the team’s key starting pitchers is forced to the sidelines.
