Phillies: Ranking the team’s top 5 starting pitchers in 2021
By Matt Rappa
2. Zach Eflin, RHP
- 2-4, 3.84 ERA
- 10 starts (7 quality starts)
- 63 1/3 innings pitched
- 28 runs (27 earned runs) allowed; 7 home runs allowed
- 7 walks, 63 strikeouts
Record aside, Zach Eflin has thrown just as many quality starts this season (7) as Zack Wheeler, yet the pair of pitchers coincidentally have mirrored win-loss marks at 2-4 and 4-2, respectively.
Eflin has thrown at least six innings in each of his 10 starts this season, and has allowed threee runs or fewer in seven of them. In three of the four games Eflin has been tagged with a losing decision, the Phillies scored two or fewer runs. Simply put, the pitcher once acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for franchise saves leader Jimmy Rollins has run into some bad luck in 2021.
Eflin’s 36 strikeouts this month ties Corey Kluber and Blake Snell for the seventh-most among MLB starting pitchers. Only Max Scherzer (47), Zack Wheeler (43), Kevin Gausman (42), Brandon Woodruff (39), Julio Urias (38), and Trevor Bauer (37) have more.
The right-hander unfortunately has been tallied with three straight losing decisions, however it comes during a Phillies stretch riddled with injuries and defensive woes behind the pitcher on the mound. Eflin started the season 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA over his first four starts, limiting opposing batters to a .250/.265/.417 slash line — striking out 19 and walking just 2 in 26 innings. This type of production is the type of value Eflin can bring once the team is clicking on all cylinders.