The Phillies and right-hander Zach Eflin have agreed to terms on a 2022 contract with a 2023 mutual option, avoiding arbitration, Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski announced tonight.
Eflin, 28, has made seven starts for the Phillies this season and has posted a 3.65 ERA (15 ER, 37.0 IP) with 35 strikeouts to just seven walks. Per Statcast data, Eflin has a 2.19 expected ERA and among all pitchers in MLB with at least 30.0 innings this season, his 83.2 MPH average exit velocity is best. Eflin’s 27.5% hard-hit rate ranks third among all pitchers in MLB (min. 30.0 IP) and trails only Tony Gonsolin (23.5%) and Adam Wainwright (27.4%).
In his most recent start, Sunday against the Dodgers, Eflin posted a career-high 12 strikeouts and extended his streak of starts with two walks or fewer to 31. The only Phillies starters since 1900 with a longer stretch of starts are Hall of Famers Robin Roberts (36 straight from 1960-61) and Roy Halladay (35 straight from 2010-11). Since the start of 2021, there have been 134 pitchers in MLB who have faced at least 500 batters and among that group of 134, Eflin’s 3.9% walk rate is best (23 walks, 594 batters faced).
Eflin was acquired by the Phillies on December 19, 2014, in the trade that sent Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has appeared in 114 career games for the Phillies (109 starts) and has posted a 4.50 ERA (310 ER, 620.2 IP) with 522 strikeouts to 152 walks.
