TORONTO — The high-fives were plentiful Thursday.

For Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman, who each homered twice. And Tyler O’Neill, who also hit a home run, his sixth straight opening day with a dinger, also got his share. Plus Jordan Westburg, who hit his first one since before his hand injury in July.

The offense brought all of it power as the Orioles tried to show that last season’s rut was in the past.

That all helped starter Zach Eflin. How could it not?

“It’s a starting pitcher’s dream — probably everybody’s dream — to get out to an early lead and be able to go after hitters and hope they swing early and hit it right at people,” he said.

And while all the homers were impressive, with a rotation full of question marks, it was perhaps Eflin’s pitching that provided the most reassurance as the Orioles embark on a new season.

Eflin, making his second consecutive opening day start against the Blue Jays but first with the Orioles, dominated his first time through the lineup, sending all nine batters packing. He made his only set of mistakes the second time through, walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and then giving up a home run on a hanging curveball to Andrés Giménez.

Those were the only blemishes on his six-inning performance.

“So consistent,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “The composure and poise and the pitch-making ability to both sides of the plate. Not an easy lineup to pitch to, especially in the middle there. The way he can cut the ball, the way he can run his two-seamer to both sides, change speeds, it’s a tough at-bat.”

Part of the reason Eflin was attractive to the Orioles at the trade deadline last year was the extra year of control they would get with him, especially as they prepared to lose Corbin Burnes in free agency. That extra time is paying off already — with Grayson Rodriguez on the injured list with elbow inflammation and forced to start his spring ramp-up over with no timeline for when he’ll be ready, it’ll be Eflin as the No. 1 for the foreseeable future.

Charlie Morton, 41, will start Friday’s game. He has the value of 16 years of service time and is durable too, having pitched over 160 innings in the last four seasons, but what if his age catches up to him?

Hyde has thought highly of Dean Kremer, Saturday’s starter, this spring and expects him to take the next step. Will he go from being a back-end-of-the-rotation arm to something more?

Tomoyuki Sugano, 35, will make his MLB debut Sunday. He’s a three-time MVP in Japan, but can he adapt to Major Leauge Baseball this late in his career?

And Cade Povich, who will get the nod for Monday’s home opener, is untested. He showed improvements throughout his rookie season. Will he continue that?

But on Thursday none of that mattered. Eflin showed he can be the guy — and that he’s getting better too. When he faced the Blue Jays a year ago on opening day, he allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings in what would end up being his worst start of the season. He didn’t watch it — he never looks back at his starts, he said — instead focusing on making sure it doesn’t happen again.

“You kind of find ways around certain things,” Eflin said. “Screwing around with new grips, new pitches without doing my full secret menu. Just finding a way.”

It’s not just his stuff, either — he keeps his composure in the big moments. He showed that in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series last year, when he allowed one run in four innings. Thursday reaffirmed that. With the opening day hoopla, including the lengthened pregame ceremony, he did exactly what the Orioles needed.

“I think that’s one of the things that makes him so great is he’s just super consistent in his routine and the way he goes about his stuff,” Rutschman said. “Opening day today, obviously everyone’s excited, but he went about his same routine and went out in there and did a great job.”