Zach Eflin was the obvious choice to earn the Orioles’ opening day start, especially after Grayson Rodriguez’s arm injury.

With iPad in hand, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde instructed pitching coach Drew French to close the door to the skipper’s office on Friday afternoon and told right-hander Zach Eflin to take a seat on the black leather couch.

Eflin, who turns 31 on April 8, went a combined 10-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 28 starts last season with Tampa Bay and Baltimore. The right-hander was 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts after the Orioles acquired him at the trade deadline.