Five Phillies in need of a major bounceback in 2018
By John Town
Zach Eflin
Just when things started to look good for Zach Eflin last year, things instantly fell apart. He had a 2.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 4.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his first five starts of the year. He then got shellacked for 22 runs in his next three starts before heading back down to Triple-A.
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Eflin’s numbers in Triple-A weren’t anything special after he was sent back down, posting a 4.57 ERA in eight starts. He missed a few weeks with elbow soreness, but there wasn’t any damage. After returning to the majors and making two starts, he left the game early in his third with shoulder discomfort. Eflin was diagnosed with a shoulder strain that eventually put him on the 60-day disabled list.
Injuries and inconsistency go hand-in-hand with Eflin at this point.
At times, he looks like the No. 3 or 4 starter people thought he could be as a prospect, but those times are fleeting. Now, Eflin needs to bounce back just to remain on the 40-man roster, let alone be an everyday major-leaguer.