Phillies’ Zach Eflin pitches simulated game as he battles back from injury

MIAMI — Zach Eflin, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on June 28 (retroactive to June 26) with a right knee bruise, pitched in a simulated game on Saturday afternoon at loanDepot Park. The Phillies right-hander threw 59 pitches between his warmup, his bullpen session, and the simulated game.

Interim manager Rob Thomson said the session went well. Eflin reached 93 mph on the radar gun, and his curveball and cutter looked sharp. The Phillies will reevaluate Eflin on Sunday. There is still no timeline for his return to the big-league club.

But while Eflin is still in the process of making his way back, a few other Phillies were activated off the injured list on Saturday. Right-hander Ranger Suárez (lower back spasms) returned to the active roster and started against the Marlins. Utility infielder Johan Camargo (knee) was also reinstated.

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To make room on the roster, the Phillies optioned right-handed reliever Mark Appel and outfielder Mickey Moniak to triple-A Lehigh Valley. Moniak had been scuffling — he was batting .130/.184/.152 with a .386 OPS this season — and wasn’t getting many at-bats. Appel pitched well in the low-leverage opportunities he had gotten (1.29 ERA over four appearances) but struggled with his fastball command.

Thomson said that the two players took the news “professionally” and that they are aware of what they need to work on at triple A.

“I think one of the things with Mark is to try to keep him lengthened out a little bit, two- or three-inning guy, because with the limitations now with the 15-day option, you can only have 13 pitchers,” Thomson said. “Those guys who can throw two or three innings are really valuable. With Moniak, it’s basically just getting at-bats, breaking-ball recognition, using the field, that type of thing. His defense, his baserunning, his game awareness is exceptional.”

Third baseman Alec Bohm was back in the Phillies’ lineup for the first time since July 11, when he dislocated his left ring finger. He hit off the bating machine on Friday afternoon and said that while he felt a little bit of soreness, he was able to handle it. He also caught ground balls on Friday.

Bohm has a wrap around his finger and some padding in his glove to stabilize it.

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Second baseman Jean Segura (right index finger fracture) did some work on the field on Saturday. He hit in the batting cage, took some ground balls at second base, and did some throwing. Thomson said Segura is just trying to get comfortable with “working through the pain” in his finger.

Segura said on Friday that he will be activated off the 60-day injured list on Aug. 3.