BALTIMORE — The Orioles acquired right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday for outfielder Matthew Etzel, infielder Mac Horvath and right-handed pitcher Jackson Baumeister, a source with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.

Eflin, 30, has posted a 4.09 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 19 starts for the Rays this season. The nine-year MLB veteran had a career year with Tampa Bay in 2023, his first after seven seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, finishing sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting after setting career bests in ERA (3.50), WHIP (1.02), strikeouts (186) and innings (177 2/3).

In the second season of a three-year, $40 million deal he signed with the Rays in free agency, Eflin’s run prevention and strikeout numbers have hovered closer to his career averages, but he has maintained an elite walk rate of 2.8%. He will be owed $18 million for the 2025 season before becoming a free agent.

The Orioles drafted Horvath and Baumeister in the second round of the 2023 MLB draft. Horvath was the No. 13 prospect in the Orioles’ farm system, according to Baseball America, and Baumeister was behind him at No. 18. Etzel, a 10th-round pick of the same draft, exploded onto the professional scene and reached Double-A Bowie before being traded.

With the trade deadline four days away, the deal was the second the Orioles’ front office made Friday after shipping outfielder Austin Hays to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-hander Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.

The Athletic was first to report the Orioles acquired Eflin. ESPN was first to report the full terms of the trade.

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