After having a terrific start against the Baltimore Orioles, many fans weren’t sure why Zach Eflin departed so early.
The Philadelphia Phillies took Game One against the Baltimore Orioles last night in a one-run game. The game was finally able to be played after a one-hour rain delay.
Instead of letting Zach Eflin bat in the seventh, Gabe Kapler went to a pitch-hitter. Soon thereafter, fans voiced displeasure with the manager’s decision to take him out of the game after throwing just 82 pitches.
At his press conference following the team’s 3-2 win, Phillies skipper Gabe Kapler announced that Zach Eflin was removed from the game due to a blister on his finger.
While Eflin is not expected to head on the disabled list, he said that he “cut his fingernails too short” prior to the game. The twenty-four year old starter is in the midst of what could be his best season of his career. After last night’s win, Zach Eflin is now 7-2 with a 2.92 ERA.
If Zach Eflin were to be placed on the disabled list or miss his next scheduled start, you could see major-league action from prospect Enyel De Los Santos. Since being promoted to Triple-A, Santos is completely on fire. He was acquired from the San Diego Padres in the trade that sent Freddy Galvis to the Padres.
For Lehigh Valley, Santos is 8-3 with eighty-five strikeouts and a 1.81 ERA. He could be very exciting to watch perform in the big leagues, and Zach Eflin landing on the disabled list could make him step foot on a major league field for the very first time.
Although it’s unlikely Eflin will be placed on the disabled list with the blister, anything can happen.