Phillies’ Zach Eflin to be reevaluated after pitching simulation game and feeling ‘a little sore’

MIAMI — Starting pitcher Zach Eflin, who was placed on 15-day injured list on June 28 (retroactive to June 26) with a right knee bruise, pitched in a simulation game on Saturday. He threw 59 pitches between his warmup, his bullpen, and the game, but felt “a little sore” on Sunday, according to interim manager Rob Thomson.

Thomson said Elfin will be re-evaluated Monday in Philadelphia. As a precaution, he won’t pitch another simulated game during the All-Star break. Eflin has a history of knee injuries. He had season-ending knee surgery to repair a tear in his right patellar tendon in September of 2021. It wasn’t the first time he had had surgery on that knee; he also had surgery to repair that same patellar tendon on Aug. 19, 2016, and the patellar tendon in his left knee in September 2016.

When asked whether he thought the pain in his right knee was worse than before, Thomson said he didn’t think so. As of now, there is no timetable for Eflin’s return.

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“I think we’ll get him back at some point, just don’t know when,” Thomson said. He declined to specify who the fifth man in the rotation would be if Eflin were to miss more time. As of now, starters Kyle Gibson and Zack Wheeler are scheduled to pitch Friday and Saturday at home against the Cubs. Thomson said they are not yet ready to announce a starter for Sunday.

The absence of Eflin — with no clear end in sight — entering the All-Star break should move starting pitching to the top of the Phillies’ priority list as they near the trade deadline.

Second baseman Jean Segura, who was placed on the 60-day injured list on June 14 with a right index finger fracture, felt good after his workout on the field yesterday. He was back in the batting cage again on Sunday and was going to take some throws on Sunday, as well. Thomson said that they will re-evaluate him after the All-Star break.

Right-handed reliever Sam Coonrod will go on a rehab assignment after the All-Star break, according to Thomson. Thomson said Coonrod, who has been on the 60-day injured list since April 14 with right forearm tendinitis, is “doing very well.” He expects Coonrod’s rehab assignment to take a little bit longer, since Coonrod didn’t go through a full spring training this season.