Just two days after the Philadelphia Phillies were defeated in the 2022 World Series in Houston, a key member of the pitching staff is set to hit free agency.
Right-hander Zach Eflin elected to decline the $15 million mutual option on his contract for the 2023 season on Monday, according to a report by Jon Heyman of The New York Post. A Phillie his entire major-league career, he will hit the open market when free agency begins on Friday.
Eflin, acquired from the Dodgers in a trade for franchise icon Jimmy Rollins in 2014, has spent nearly his entire big-league tenure as a starter since debuting with the Phillies in 2016. However, a knee injury — a problem that has plagued the 28-year-old throughout his career — forced a switch to end this season. After missing all of August, Eflin returned to the mound in the middle of September as a reliever and quickly emerged as a reliable option for manager Rob Thomson.
Eflin earned the save as the Phillies clinched their first playoff berth since 2011 against the Astros on Oct. 3, then served as one of the club’s go-to members of the bullpen as the Phillies embarked on a captivating run to the National League championship.
In 10 playoff relief outings, Eflin posted a 3.38 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings, showing the makings of a quality reliever in high-leverage moments. But after the Phillies’ Game 6 loss on Saturday, he still voiced his preference to start moving forward.
His injury history complicates that. Eflin has been a solid starter throughout his career with flashes of even greater production, but he only made 18 and 13 starts in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
With his role, contract and destination uncertain, it’s going to be an offseason full of question marks regarding Eflin, who could be seen in a different major-league uniform next year.
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