Phillies: Three players who could make or break the 2020 season

Why the Philadelphia Phillies’ starter is so crucial to the team’s success.

Since Eflin has struggled down the stretch in his past few seasons, it’s easy to forget how great he can be when he’s at his best. If the 26-year-old reaches anything close to what his potential ceiling might be, he could be a solid starter in Philly for a long time. The six-foot-six right-hander pitched two complete games last year, one of which was a shutout. In those two games, he pitched 18 innings and allowed just 11 hits, one earned run, and no walks to go along with ten strikeouts. Not a bad line at all.

Even in his rookie season, he threw two complete games, one of which was again a shutout. In those two starts, he allowed just nine hits, one earned run, and no walks while striking out 12. Keep in mind that both of these starts were not long after he had one of the worst MLB debuts in history. He’s no stranger to bouncing back and steadily improving.

Eflin could be a brand new pitcher under Bryan Price in 2020 if all goes well. Not to mention, having a short season could help him hit his stride at the right time rather than decline at the end of the year. Having a reliable third pitcher in the rotation can really push a team over the edge and give them an advantage heading into the playoffs. We saw that with the World Champion Washington Nationals last year with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, and even Anibal Sanchez.

The Phillies didn’t even have a reliable number two until they signed Wheeler so if Eflin has a successful season, this team could make a big jump. If he doesn’t pitch well in 2020, there will be even more questions around his ability and this team will have a tough time competing for a playoff spot.