The Baltimore Orioles were involved in a pair trades involving a pair of Seminole County products on Friday.
The American League East Division-leading Orioles acquired former Hagerty High School standout Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays and then sent former Seminole State College outfielder Austin Hays to the National League East Division-leading Philadelphia Phillies.
Here are the announcements:
Baltimore acquires Eflin
The Orioles Friday announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher ZACH EFLIN and cash considerations from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher JACKSON BAUMEISTER, minor league infielder/outfielder MAC HORVATH, and minor league outfielder MATTHEW ETZEL.
Eflin, 30, is 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA (50 ER/110.0 IP) with 115 hits (14 HR), 55 total runs allowed, three hit-by-pitches, 13 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 19 games, all starts, for the Rays.
His 2.8 percent walk rate is the second-best among qualified pitchers in MLB this season behind Seattle’s George Kirby (2.6%), and his 5.0 walk rate since debuting in 2016 is the third-best among active qualified pitchers behind St. Louis’ Miles Mikolas (4.3%) and Los Angeles-NL’s Clayton Kershaw (4.7%).
Eflin won a career-high 16 games for Tampa Bay last year, tied with Toronto’s Chris Bassitt for the most in the American League, while his 1.02 WHIP was the second-best mark in MLB behind New York-AL’s Gerrit Cole (0.98). He finished sixth in the AL Cy Young voting in 2023.
The right-hander was originally selected by the San Diego Padres in the Supplemental First Round (33rd overall) of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Hagerty High School. The Oviedo native was acquired by the Dodgers as part of a five-player trade involving Matt Kemp on December 18, 2014, and by the Philadelphia Phillies in a three-player move for Jimmy Rollins on December 19, 2014.
Eflin signed a three-year contract with the Rays in December 2022 that runs through the 2025 season.
Philadelphia acquires Hays
The Phillies have acquired outfielder Austin Hays from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-handed pitcher Seranthony DomÃnguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.
Hays, 29, slashed .255/.316/.395 with a 106 OPS+ in 63 games for Baltimore this season. In 72 plate appearances against left-handers, Hays is slashing .328/.394/.500 with an .894 OPS. Of the 212 major league hitters who have faced at least 70 left-handers this season, Hays’ .394 OBP ranks 31st.
The starting center fielder in the 2023 All-Star Game for the American League, Hays slashed .275/.325/.444 with a .769 OPS and 54 extra-base hits (36 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR) last season. The former star at Seminole State College set career highs in runs (76), hits (143), doubles, extra-base hits, multi-hit games (40), walks (38) and stolen bases (5). Defensively, he had six Defensive Runs Saved in left field which ranked fourth among all American League left fielders in 2023.
In 2022, Hays, who prepped at Spruce Creek High School, was named Baltimore’s recipient of the Heart & Hustle Award, given annually to a player on each club who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.
Originally selected by the Orioles in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Jacksonville University, the Daytona Beach native appeared in 557 games for Baltimore over parts of seven seasons (2017; 2019-24) and slashed .262/.314/.433 with a .747 OPS, 121 doubles, eight triples, 66 home runs, 242 RBI and 126 walks. Against left-handers in his career, he has hit .272 with a .328 on-base percentage and .463 slugging percentage (.791 OPS).
Hays will wear No. 9.
