After a considerably sluggish begin to this yr’s commerce deadline, one of many higher pitchers accessible has a brand new staff, with Zach Eflin heading from Tropicana Discipline to the land of Previous Bay and Natty Boh. (That’s Baltimore, for these of you unfamiliar with correctly seasoned shellfish and/or nostalgic mass-market funds lager.) Heading again to the Rays from the Orioles are three prospects, right-handed starter Jackson Baumeister, infielder Mac Horvath, and outfielder Matthew Etzel. In his second season with the Rays, Eflin has a 4.09 ERA and three.65 FIP over 19 begins, good for 1.8 WAR.
Getting into the season, the depth of Baltimore’s rotation was one thing of a priority. Buying Corbin Burnes in his stroll yr did so much to alleviate the scenario, and with the seventh-best ERA and Tenth-best WAR in baseball, the rotation hasn’t actually hindered the Orioles’ quest to win their first World Sequence trophy since I used to be only a wee cynical kindergartener. Nonetheless, regardless of their constructive beginning pitching rankings, the water has gotten fairly uneven. Each Kyle Bradish and John Means underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in June, and Tyler Wells is out for the season after an inner brace surgical procedure on his UCL in . Additional complicating issues is the truth that Cole Irvin, a pleasing shock within the season’s early going, had a worse June than the Soviet military in 1941. Cade Povich was decidedly mediocre in his debut and was optioned to Triple-A earlier this month, and Chayce McDermott nonetheless has command points to iron out. The staff has good cause to anticipate extra from these two sooner or later, however that future isn’t going arrive this week, and the staff wanted a bit extra certainty within the rotation behind Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez.
Don’t confuse Eflin with Tarik Skubal or Garrett Crochet; he’s not the kind of pitcher who’s more likely to compete for a Cy Younger. However a strong pitcher you may really purchase is extra useful than a terrific one who’s unobtainable; the Tigers are, by all stories, asking for the entire galaxy in return for Skubal, and Crochet’s feedback indicating that he gained’t pitch within the postseason with out an extension make an acquisition very dangerous for a staff that doesn’t hand out nine-figure offers. Eflin is the prototypical quantity two man, with an ERA and FIP between 3.50 and 4.00 in most seasons. He’ll maintain you in attain in most video games and doesn’t undergo stretches the place he offers out extra free passes than a failing comedy membership. He handled a run of accidents just a few years in the past, however he has been sturdy in 2023 and 2024, and that’s one thing the O’s rightly worth.
ZiPS initiatives a 3.62 ERA and 1.1 WAR from Eflin for the remainder of the season in 56 innings, and the O’s could be lots proud of that down the stretch. Almost as importantly, Eflin can be signed for the 2025 season, and if the Orioles are unable to increase Burnes, having Eflin round may assist alleviate any post-Burnes hangover. ZiPS initiatives a 3.76 ERA and a couple of.7 WAR from Eflin in 2025, a superbly cheap stat line for a participant signed to a de facto one-year, $18 million contract.
By buying on the huge field retailer relatively than a fancy-pantsed boutique, the O’s averted shedding any prospects from the pantheon. Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice wrote concerning the O’s prospects final month, rating Baumeister thirteenth (40+ FV) and Horvath twenty fifth (40 FV) within the system; Etzel didn’t make the checklist.
On the time, Eric and Travis had this to say about Baumeister:
Baumeister’s 92-95 mph four-seamer constantly stays above hitters’ bats as a result of its skill to carry it’s airplane and carry by means of the zone. He doesn’t find it exactly, however he has really feel for elevating it usually, which is ok contemplating its life. His curveball is a 12-to-6 downer with vital depth that blends nicely along with his elevated four-seamers out of the hand. Baumeister’s slider will present a few totally different shapes. Some have extra of a downer form with slight horizontal tilt, whereas others have deeper, slurvey-shaped motion. There’s additionally a fading changeup within the combine that he throws with good arm pace, along with his greatest ones exhibiting depth to go together with the horizontal motion. Presently, Baumeister closely depends on hitters increasing their zone in opposition to his secondary choices and he’ll want to enhance his consistency as he faces extra superior hitters. That is an thrilling arm who’s a bit tough across the edges, however he has no. 4 starter upside if he can overcome or enhance on his below-average command.
And this to say about Horvath:
His efficiency at Excessive-A up to now in 2024 has been barely above the league common. Horvath hits out of an open, high-hands setup, and makes use of an abbreviated leg kick that brings him to sq.; he actually makes use of his legs nicely all through his passes. He has extraordinarily fast and highly effective arms that generate above-average pull energy. Horvath is geared to drag within the excessive, however up to now his bat has been fast sufficient to make this fashion of hitting work. Horvath’s lofty bat path is geared in the direction of dealing with pitches within the decrease half of the zone however may be very susceptible to something elevated. We’re in slight disagreement about Horvath’s protection. Eric thought his transfer to the outfield in school was kind of everlasting and for one of the best. Travis thinks his lateral vary and above-average arm power make the recent nook his greatest place, whereas he’s a satisfactory defender at each second base and in proper area. Horvath’s hit instrument shall be too mild for on a regular basis consideration, however he’ll have the ability to fill a bench function if certainly he proves to be a flexible defender.
I requested Eric if he had any updates, and he indicated that he’s barely much less optimistic about Baumeister being a starter, thinks Horvath is taking part in ok protection to bump him to a 40+ FV, and nonetheless sees Etzel as a run-of-the-mill depth outfielder.
ZiPS doesn’t see any explicit cause to disagree. The pc has Baumeister peaking as a 90-95 ERA+ starter down the highway, hovering round 1 WAR per season and strolling just a few too many batters. The one comp amongst his prime 10 or in order that I even acknowledge off-hand is Josias Manzanillo, a journeyman center reliever from the flip of the century. ZiPS initiatives a .223/.288/.374 (84 wRC+) line for Horvath if he have been to play within the majors in 2025 (he most likely gained’t), with a peak triple-slash season of .246/.313/.418. That’s admittedly fairly strong for a man who can credibly play second and third base, in addition to the outfield, and the Rays normally have a man or two like this hanging round, so I gained’t be stunned if Horvath will get a while within the majors down the highway.
ZiPS is a bit more bullish on Etzel than Eric and Travis are, however simply barely. The projections really peg him as a reasonably first rate spare outfielder, forecasting a .242/.309/.344 line in 2025 and a peak of .247/.318/.362, however ZiPS additionally has him as a below-average heart fielder, which limits his utility since even this comparatively sunny outlook doesn’t depart him as a stopgap starter. Etzel’s prime ZiPS comp is one other Ray, Mallex Smith, who did have a short stretch of relevance.
Did the Rays money in huge on Eflin? No, however I additionally suppose that’s simply the fact of the market lately. Whereas groups will nonetheless commerce elite prospects for gamers who knock their socks off, additionally they worth even their fringy prospects greater than at any time in main league historical past. As seen right here and within the Randy Arozarena commerce, peculiar, “confirmed” gamers will incessantly be acquired for surprisingly mild packages. For the Orioles, the advantage of the Eflin acquisition is clear. They probably picked up the workhorse no. 2 starter they wanted, and the staff appears to be like higher in 2024 and 2025 for it. Plus, they didn’t hand over any prospects who’re more likely to come again and hang-out them.
