Zach Eflin exited the Phillies’ loss to the Giants Friday night early with shoulder tightness. Meanwhile, Ben Lively is set to join the rotation Sunday.
The Phillies have had a constant stream of injuries this season, especially in the starting rotation. Another one of those injuries occurred Friday night as Zach Eflin exited early due to shoulder tightness.
Eflin allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two. He left after the fifth inning due to the tightness. It’s likely the injury hampered his performance to an extent. Eflin told reporters that it was constant, but that he doesn’t think it is that serious:
"“This is a little different than I’ve had before,” Eflin said. “It’s just kind of a steady tightness. It’s something I wasn’t comfortable continuing with. I don’t think it’s anything serious. It’s more of a precautionary thing.”"
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This is the second injury Eflin has sustained this year. He dealt with an elbow injury earlier this year while in Triple-A, although he did not sustain any ligament damage. Last year, Eflin missed the last two months of the year and had offseason surgery to repair both of his knees.
The multiple injuries only compound the fact that Eflin has struggled to find success this year in the majors.
In 11 starts this year, he has a 6.16 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. In his three starts since returning to the majors, he has allowed 12 runs, five home runs, and 21 hits in 17.1 innings. It’s hard to picture the young righty in any future rotation with these continued struggles.
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Jake Thompson started for Triple-A Lehigh Valley Friday night and would be the likely call-up should the team need to replace Eflin for his next start. Thompson is not the most exciting option with a 4.20 ERA and 6.87 fielding-independent pitching in the majors this year.
Meanwhile, Ben Lively will re-join the major-league rotation as Mark Leiter returns to the bullpen as the team’s long reliever. In seven starts earlier this year, Lively had a 3.80 ERA, 4.61 FIP, and 1.38 WHIP. In 42.2 innings Lively struck out 17 batters and walked 13.
In seven starts since returning to Triple-A, Lively had a 4.20 ERA, 3.41 FIP and struck out 37 batters in 40.2 innings.
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Depending on how this start goes Sunday against the Giants – as well as when Vince Velasquez returns from the disabled list – Lively could see another extended run in the major-league rotation.