Phillies’ Zach Eflin emotional after two scoreless innings in first spring start after knee surgery

LAKELAND, Fla. — Six months removed from another knee surgery and eight months shy of free agency, rooted in what should be the prime his career, Zach Eflin understands the stakes this season.

So, after recording six outs on 24 pitches here Saturday in his first spring-training start, he shook hands with Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham and manager Joe Girardi, walked across the field to the clubhouse, and stood in front of his locker.

And he wept.

“I honestly don’t really have any words,” Eflin said. “I was freaking tearing up in there just thinking of everything I’ve gone through.”

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A refresher: Eflin had patellar tendon surgery on his right knee in September, his second such procedure in five years. (He also had left knee surgery in 2015.) He did much of his rehab while being unable to communicate with team officials, including trainers, for 99 days during MLB’s lockout. And the Phillies are poised to take him to arbitration to decide his 2022 salary ($6.9 million or $5.15 million).

So, yes, Eflin was entitled to get a little emotional. Try telling him that this spring-training game was meaningless.

“He didn’t really let on about that,” Girardi said. “But he’s been through a lot. He worked his tail off to get to this point. We were a little bit surprised with where he was at when he got here. Really pleased.”

The Phillies estimated Eflin’s recovery at six to eight months. He’s on the low end of that timetable after working with physical therapist Alex Mendez near his home in Orlando. Eflin reported to camp having already thrown from a bullpen mound. He passed all the Phillies’ tests early in camp.

But there was one more box to check: Eflin had to field his position in a game. Sure enough, Tigers leadoff man Akil Baddoo complied, rolling a grounder to first. Eflin covered the base and took a flip from Rhys Hoskins.

“I was talking to Joe Rauch, our physical therapist, right before the game, and we were like, ‘How many times am I going to have to get over to first base?’” Eflin said. “Freaking first batter of the game. I thought that was pretty big, but it was hilarious at the same time.”

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Eflin fits into the middle of a veteran-laden rotation that lacks depth behind the top five starters. He has a 4.12 ERA over the last three seasons and went at least five innings in 22 of his last 25 starts dating to 2020.

There’s good money for 28-year-old free-agent starters who can deliver consistently.

Eflin likely will make two more spring-training starts before facing the Oakland Athletics at home April 10 in the third game of the season.

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That figures to be another emotional day for him.

“It’s been a long road,” Eflin said. “If it’s my last year with the Phillies, I want to make every single start with these guys, I want to be pitching in the playoffs, I want to go as far as we’re going to go. I’m just really happy with everythng so far.”

In perhaps the final step before his first spring-training start, Zack Wheeler simulated one inning against two hitters, including Bryce Harper, and threw his full array of pitches.

Well, almost.

“Cutter up and in to lefties, I wasn’t going to hit Bryce,” Wheeler said. “We’ll lay off that stuff for now.”

Regardless, Wheeler said he hasn’t felt a trace of the soreness in his right shoulder that prompted him to halt his throwing program in December. If he makes a start next week, he could squeeze in one more before the Phillies break camp.

Will it be enough for him to start the season on time?

“It’s not my choice,” Wheeler said. “It’s just whatever’s better for the team. If I can only go an inning or two and blow out the bullpen, that’s probably not the way to go. But if I can go at least a couple or a few, then I’m like another reliever on the back end starting it.”

Lefty reliever José Alvarado has not appeared in a spring-training game because of what Girardi called “a little neck issue” after his last throwing session earlier in the week.

The Phillies shut down Alvarado from throwing for three days beginning Thursday, according to Girardi, who said the team is hopeful that Alvaradp will be able to appear in a few games next week and be ready for the season.

“If it was to linger, yeah, he could be [delayed],” Girardi said. “His neck just kind of locked up. I think it ran into his shoulder a little bit. We’re not concerned about his shoulder, but it locked up.”

Mickey Moniak, Rhys Hoskins, and Didi Gregorius also homered against the Tigers, while Vierling tripled. ... Nonroster and minor-league relievers Joe Gatto, Michael Kelly, Jeff Singer, and Andrew Schultz combined to allow 12 runs on eight hits and six walks. ... Nick Castellanos is slated to play left field in his Phillies spring-training debut at 1:07 p.m. Sunday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. The game will air on WIP-FM (94.1).