3:54 PM: Well, it was a short-lived return for Eflin. The Phillies’ right-hander was scratched from his start tonight because of continued knee discomfort, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Philly (via Twitter). Manager Joe Girardi made the announcement not long after Eflin was activated from the injured list. Matt Moore will get the start tonight, and Eflin will presumably be further evaluated.
2:34 PM: The Phillies announced a series of roster moves this afternoon. Starting pitcher Zach Eflin has been activated from the 10-day injured list to start this evening’s game against the Diamondbacks. Also coming back from the 10-day IL is reliever José Alvarado. In corresponding moves, Philadelphia placed first baseman Rhys Hoskins back on the 10-day IL due to a left groin strain and designated right-hander Chase Anderson for assignment.
Eflin has missed around five weeks due to patellar tendinitis in his right knee. That halted a typically-strong campaign for the right-hander, who has a 4.17 ERA over 105 2/3 innings. Eflin doesn’t rack up huge strikeout or ground-ball totals, but he’s one of the sport’s best strike-throwers and a consistent mid-rotation presence. Eflin has posted an ERA between 3.97 and 4.36 in each of the past four seasons.
While the Phils will be thrilled to welcome Eflin back, they’re again losing Hoskins to the IL. The veteran first baseman just returned to the lineup over the weekend after missing two weeks on account of the same left groin strain. Three games later, he winds up back on the shelf. It’s an inopportune time for the Phils to lose one of their best hitters, as they enter play tonight five games back of the Braves in the National League East.
The roster shuffling almost certainly ends Anderson’s time in Philadelphia. The veteran signed a one-year, $4MM guarantee over the offseason with the hope he’d bounce back from a 2020 campaign derailed by home runs. He’s had a rough go of things for the second straight year, though, pitching to a 6.75 ERA over 48 innings between the rotation and long relief. While Anderson’s strikeout rate spiked to a career-best 24.7% last season, it has fallen to a subpar 16.3% mark this year. Anderson’s also walking batters at a career-worst 9.3% clip and he’s continued to struggle keeping the ball in the yard.
Given his lackluster 2021 results, Anderson’s a lock to pass through waivers unclaimed. He has enough service time to become a free agent while collecting the balance of his guaranteed salary. At that point, Anderson should attract interest from other clubs based on his extended pre-2020 body of work as a solid back-of-the-rotation starter.
Rhys’ Pieces.
Maybe the Red Sox could be interested depending of their current payroll. I think they are close to reach luxury taxes.
in who, Anderson? doubt it.
Yes, Anderson.
He was Chased out of Philly…
When he goes to the Rays, he will likely become a top 5 pitcher.
Can you go follow the Rays? Maybe then you’ll become a better commenter
As a Phillies fan, I’m hopeful that the Braves consider adding Anderson to their rotation. Not that it will matter the Braves may win the division by ten games.
Who cares who wins the division? When the Phils were perennial division winners, they won a ring….something the Braves can’t do and will never do with the ownership.
Wait..what? I agree with you on something?!?!
*Looks to the sky for the asteroid that will wipe out all life on planet earth
While I am sure there will be someone who will say there are worse ownerships than Liberty Media, that doesn’t mean Liberty Media is any good either. I remember some Braves fans at that time thought they hit the mother load because of how much capital LM could bring to the team but some of us knew better. That’s just not how corporate America works.
Ian Theodore Fanthemson, same old blather. You wouldn’t support you own junk with a jock strap
So many LOL’s on so many levels!!! Curly, do I have to pay you royalties to use that line? =))
Only a penny for your thoughts
The Phillies have won the WS twice in 138 years, please don’t portray them as anything other than they are. The historically worst run MLB team . As far as the Braves go, Acuna, Jr. and Freeman are the type of players the Phillies couldn’t develop on their best day. The Braves consistently run competitive teams out there; the Phillies, not so much.
Mr. Anderson, you disappoint me. Goodbye, Mr. Anderson.
This is one of the worst run teams in baseball. Had a great stretch in the mid 2000s, but overall, they just can’t get out of their own way. Don’t see them winning any time soon.
All sunshine and rainbows, this one.
Can the Phils call up Darick Hall? Tired of seeing Miller at 1st.
i think there’s a decent chance of that happening as long as he doesnt show poor tonight.
and we’re toast
Sigh…poor Phillies. Another mediocre season. Maybe Dave D and Sam Fuld can dazzle us for next year.
The final nail in the coffin is official now.. Now Harper will be pitched to even less…. Hey, at least Hoskins hit a few home runs in the short time he was back… YAY
would’ve been nice if yesterday’s mattered.
Hopkins not really a veteran but had some better stats than Harper.
Sure, his cumulative stats were higher but Harper is definitely the better hitter, not even close.
Harper’s stats are very good. Regarding his low rbi total, I heard a stat a couple weeks ago about his rbi opportunities. Despite being a middle of the order hitter for the most part, 86 players batted with more runners in scoring positiom than him.
He continues to bat over .300 with runners in scoring position and runners on base. Obviously his ops is extremely good.