Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin has already shown he’s one of the top MLB trade deadline prizes. Thursday was another display, as he allowed just two runs over six innings in a over the San Francisco Giants to lower his ERA with his new club to 2.31.
The Orioles’ offense is struggling to wake up, but their starting rotation is doing enough to keep them afloat as they close in on a likely second straight postseason berth with nine games remaining. Eflin will anchor that group in October, when solid pitching might be enough to win. At the top of that unit alongside Eflin is Corbin Burnes, who rebounded from a dreadful August to return to his early season dominance.
Dean Kremer and Albert Suárez are also wrapping up impressive second halves and showing they too can be trusted to start a postseason game. The Orioles, full of flaws and inconsistencies, boast a starting rotation that’s quietly been one of baseball’s best in the second half and enters a critical stretch at its peak. “We’re pitching well enough to win games,” manager Brandon Hyde said.
“I’m happy with how we’re throwing the ball. And hopefully we can get going offensively a little bit.” The Orioles entered Thursday with the fifth-best rotation ERA in the American League this month.
Burnes, Eflin and Kremer each rank in the top 10 in the circuit in ERA, and even rookie Cade Povich isn’t far behind with a 3.18 mark in September. Burnes hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of h.