Injured Phillies starter Zach Eflin throws off a mound; session goes well, Rob Thomson says
“I’m happy for him, too,” interim manager Rob Thomson said of Eflin’s progress. “He works tirelessly, and he wants to pitch and he wants to play and he wants to help the team.”
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/PSZTDS6C4ZCRLMAD5TFUBBNS34.jpg)
PHOENIX — Right-handed starter Zach Eflin threw off of a mound for first time since mid-July on Tuesday. Eflin was placed on the 15-day injured list on June 28, retroactive to June 26, with a right knee bruise. Interim manager Rob Thomson said Eflin threw 20 pitches and that it went “very good.”
The Phillies are going to see how Eflin feels Wednesday. If all goes well, he’ll throw another bullpen in San Francisco.
“I’m happy for him, too,” Thomson said of Eflin’s progress. “He works tirelessly, and he wants to pitch and he wants to play and he wants to help the team.”
» READ MORE: How the Phillies’ Sam Coonrod made the best of his stay on the injured list
If Eflin rejoins the Phillies before the end of the season, it’ll likely be out of the bullpen. It would be difficult to stretch him out as starter with only 33 games remaining in the regular season. Eflin has only pitched in only five MLB games as a reliever in his seven-season career. He has a 1.08 ERA over those five appearances.
“We’ll see how it goes and how quickly he can ramp up,” Thomson said. “I would think, to be conservative, our bullpen would make a lot of sense.”
There’s no guarantee Eflin returns this season. But if he does, Thomson is optimistic about what his right-handed pitcher can do.
“Sometimes guys stuff plays up coming out of the ‘pen,” Thomson said. “They’re not on cruise control, trying to get through five six seven innings, and they just come in and turn it loose.”
Castellanos out of the lineup again with turf toe
Right fielder Nick Castellanos was out of the lineup for the second straight game on Tuesday with turf toe. He told reporters before the game that he was injured in the second game of the doubleheader on Aug. 20 against the Mets while stepping on a base. He got more sore over time, so he decided to rest it on Monday and Tuesday. It’s unclear whether he will sit out Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks. Castellanos said he doesn’t think he’ll need an injured list stint.
» READ MORE: Bryce Harper’s comeback success is ‘not an easy thing to do.’ Take it from Chase Utley.
Extra bases
Right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tendinitis on Aug. 5 (retroactive to Aug. 22) threw for the first time in a few days on Tuesday. Thomson said he went out to 60 feet and felt fine. ... Reliever Seranthony Domínguez, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 21 (retroactive to Aug. 18) with right triceps tendinitis threw out to 90 feet on Tuesday.