Orioles place Zach Eflin on IL with lat strain as Baltimore's already shaky rotation takes huge hit

The Baltimore Orioles have shut down starting pitcher Zach Eflin and placed him on the 15-day injured list due to a right lat strain. The move is retroactive to Tuesday. He won't throw for at least one week, manager Brandon Hyde said after the game Tuesday night (via the Baltimore Banner). 

Eflin started Monday in Arizona and was removed from the game with what was called, at the time, right shoulder fatigue. He also spent time on the injured list last August due to shoulder issues. 

The 31-year-old Eflin is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA through three starts this season after going 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA in his nine starts for the Orioles last year. He was acquired from the Rays in front of the trade deadline to shore up the rotation. 

That rotation is having major issues right now, especially with Eflin now hurt. The Orioles rank 25th in the majors with a 5.34 starting pitcher ERA so far this season. Eflin now joins Grayson Rodriguez, Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish and Albert Suárez on the injured list, leaving Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Cade Povich as the four able-bodied starters. 

Thanks to some days off, the Orioles might not need a fifth starter much with Eflin out. They are off Thursday, Monday, April 14, and Monday the 21st. It is possible to navigate, then, a few weeks before needing a fifth starter, at which point Eflin may be ready to return. If they do need to dip into the minors, Kyle Gibson, Brandon Young and Cody Poteet are options. 

The Orioles have started the season 5-7, though that's only two games out in the very competitive AL East.