Zach Eflin's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

The Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals are among the teams expected to have strong interest in Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. Eflin is signed through 2025, so there's always a chance the Rays opt to hold onto him until next season and aim to sell high when he's playing at a higher level. After leading the American League with 16 wins and finishing sixth in Cy Young Award voting in 2023, the 30-year-old veteran right-hander has stumbled to a 4.09 ERA in 19 starts in 2024, but his 1.16 WHIP and 87:13 K:BB over 110 innings are perhaps more indicative of the quality of his pitching. Eflin gets a great chance to right the ship in Tuesday's slated start at home against the last-place Miami Marlins, but he might be wearing a different uniform altogether by then.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin will kick off his second half in Friday's scheduled start in the Bronx against the division-rival New York Yankees. After leading the American League with 16 wins a year ago, Eflin has regressed during his second year in Tampa Bay while registering a 3.99 ERA (3.66 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP over 99 1/3 innings of work. Even so, the 30-year-old veteran right-hander owns a shiny 78:9 K:BB covering his 17 starts and also leads the major leagues with 0.8 walks per nine innings. While Friday's matchup is a tough one on paper, Eflin has dominated the Yankees to the tune of a 1.50 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 48:6 K:BB in 42 frames against them in his career, and he'll be worth deploying in all season-long fantasy leagues with some contrarian DFS appeal on a full slate.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (4-5) picked up his fourth win Friday night after pitching six shutout innings with six strikeouts while allowing no walks on four hits in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals. Eflin finished off a solid June with a 3.49 ERA which lowered his 2024 ERA to 3.92 on the season. The 30-year-old veteran isn't quite having the same success in his encore season with the Rays so far with a half of a run higher on his ERA and less than a strikeout per inning after having more than a strikeout per inning last season. If Eflin continues to put up solid numbers don't be surprised if he is dangled at the trade deadline with the Rays sitting at an even .500 record at 41-41 on the season. However, his contract may be tough to unload unless the Rays front office decides to eat a portion of his contract.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (back) threw 46 pitches off the mound at Tropicana Field prior to the May 30 game against the Oakland Athletics and said he felt good afterward. Then Eflin threw a 40-pitch bullpen session consisting of two simulated "innings" on Sunday in Baltimore. He said he felt "great" and declared himself "ready to go." The Rays haven't decided when he'll rejoin the rotation, but he could start as soon as Wednesday in Miami against the Marlins. The 30-year-old was put on the injured list on May 20 after feeling discomfort in his back during his final inning on May 18 against the Toronto Blue Jays. He compared this injury to lower-back tightness that forced him to miss two weeks in April of last year and said he was "not too worried about it, honestly." Eflin will be a bit more risky in his first start back, but fantasy managers can't pass up a matchup against Miami.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (back) was throwing off the mound on Thursday and has a "ramped-up bullpen session" likely scheduled for Sunday in Baltimore, according to manager Kevin Cash. If Eflin comes out of Sunday's session without any setbacks, he could make his return from the injured list to rejoin the starting rotation next week. The 30-year-old veteran is getting close to a return from a lower-back injury that has kept him out the last few weeks on the 15-day injured list. After winning a league-high 16 games for the Rays in his first season with the team in 2023, Eflin had gone 3-4 with a 4.12 ERA (3.65 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and only four walks in 59 innings over 10 starts before getting hurt. He should be stashed in most fantasy leagues.