We have a pair of trades breaking on this Friday afternoon involving American League playoff contenders.
The Baltimore Orioles, who dealt Austin Hays to the Philadelphia Phillies earlier today, have acquired righthanded starting pitcher Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Matthew Etzel, righthanded pitcher Jackson Baumeister and someone who plays many positions named Mac Horvath.
The 31 year old Eflin is in the second year of a 3 year, $40 million deal that will pay him $18 million in 2025. He was signed by the Rays after a six-plus years of his being a middling starter for the Philadelphia Phillies, and promptly had his best season in 2023, finishing 6th in the Cy Young balloting.