Phillies: Zach Eflin on pace for best season of career

The Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation has been incredibly reliable and productive through a month and change of the 2021 season, mainly because of its top three arms — Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler and Zach Eflin.

Entering Thursday, the Phillies rotation ranks eighth in WAR (3.4), 13th in ERA (4.07) and 12th in FIP (3.82). Phillies starters have also stranded baserunners at a 75.3 percent clip — the eighth-best rate in the league.

Nola, fresh off two Top-10 Cy Young finishes (2018, 2020) in his last three seasons, holds a 2.89 ERA through six starts with two 10-strikeout games and his first career nine-inning shutout on April 18 against St. Louis. Wheeler, who signed a five-year, $118 million deal before the 2020 season, has a 3.49 ERA in six starts — which includes a seven-scoreless-inning, 10-strikeout gem in his season debut.

But those two get enough of the attention and headlines. The third member of this trio, Eflin, isn’t as big of a name, nor does he have the resume to stack up with the other two. However, he’s meant just as much to the Phillies’ success so far.

Phillies RHP Zach Eflin is off to the best start of his career

Acquired for a 36-year-old Jimmy Rollins in a December 2014 trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers — one of the best Phillies trades of the last decade — Eflin is off to the best start of his career, quietly producing better than the average No. 3 starter.

Through six starts, he’s posting career-best numbers — with a 3.49 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 2.51 FIP, and 116 ERA+, which is 16 percent above league average. He’s already accumulated 1.3 WAR, tied for 14th among pitchers this season, and he’s on pace to shatter his career-high of 1.5 that he set in 2020.

Eflin isn’t an overpowering pitcher like his 6-6, 220-pound frame would suggest, but he’s finding success in other ways.