What the Zach Eflin trade tells us about the Orioles' new regime

The Orioles took a major step to bolster their starting rotation by acquiring Zach Eflin from the Rays. While Baltimore is likely not finished with deadline trades, this deal could mark a significant shift both on the field and off. Eflin may represent a dawn of a new era in which the Orioles’ front office makes peace with a higher payroll.

Eflin is a former frontline starter with considerable postseason experience, and he is being paid as such. The right-hander was handsomely rewarded when he signed with the Rays prior to a breakout season in 2023, earning $11 million in each of the first two years of the three-year contract. The Orioles will be on the hook for just under $4 million this season, and Eflin’s salary will bump to $18 million when he completes the final year of his contract with the Orioles in 2025.

The Orioles are on the hook for $18 million next season for Zach Eflin, which marks a significant change in front office philosophy

Currently, Corbin Burnes, on a one-year, $15.64 million deal, stands as the highest paid player in Baltimore. Eflin’s deal could set a new standard for a club that has been in the bottom half of the league in total payroll in every season since 2017. 

Given Burnes’s success and potential to earn a second career Cy Young Award, the Orioles will likely need to shell out to retain his services when he hits the free-agent market in a few months. Prior to the season, The Athletic projected his extension at eight years, $260 million, which would be by far the richest contract in Orioles history.

The Orioles’ acquisition of Seranthony Dominguez from the Phillies earlier this week also indicates Baltimore’s willingness to spend. The reliever has a club option, which, if exercised, would guarantee him $8 million. This, though, pales in comparison to Craig Kimbrel’s club option, which would net the closer $13 million next season.

Baltimore also has a number of young stars that the team will likely seek to extend in the next few years. Even if the Orioles follow the Braves’ footsteps with team-friendly extensions, players the likes of Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman will want (and deserve) to be handsomely compensated for their skills.

Spending more freely may pay off on the field as well. After all, the World Series winner has had a top 10 payroll for the past six seasons. If the Orioles want to make a serious championship push, lucrative deals such as Eflin’s may be the future of the franchise.