Phillies, Zach Eflin avoid salary arbitration with one-year deal, plus 2023 mutual option

ATLANTA — If Zach Eflin is being candid, he was weirdly looking forward to sitting in on a salary arbitration hearing in which the Phillies would argue before a panel of judges why he should make less money than he asked for this season.

“You hear so many horror stories by players,” Eflin said Tuesday. “Me, I don’t really care what people say about me, so I would’ve loved to hear everything they had to say. I was more curious as to how the work process goes.”

But Eflin also wasn’t about to complain about reaching a one-year agreement that rendered Wednesday’s scheduled hearing unnecessary. The deal, struck a few hours before the Phillies continued their four-game series here against the Atlanta Braves, includes the added wrinkle of a $15 million mutual option for 2023 that would buy out one season of free agency for the 28-year-old right-hander.

» READ MORE: Phillies still believe their unconventional leadoff hitter plan can work

Eflin will make $5.7 million this year, according to a source, a raise from $4.45 million last season but less than the $6.9 million salary figure that he was seeking. (The Phillies countered with a $5.15 million offer.) The Phillies have until five days after the World Series to pick up the option before Eflin would have to make a decision.

“It’s on the table for us both to take or for us both to leave,” Eflin said. “We’ll readdress that at the end of the year. But I’m happy that we were able to come to terms and get back to baseball.”

Eflin, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers by former general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. in a December 2014 trade for Jimmy Rollins, has a 3.65 ERA with 35 strikeouts and seven walks in 37 innings across seven starts so far this season. Last Sunday, Eflin struck out a career-high 12 batters in a seven-inning gem at home against the Dodgers.

The Phillies initiated the negotiations last week and brought up the idea of the mutual option, according to Eflin. The team’s interest in picking up the option would be to keep as much of their starting rotation together as possible for another year.

Kyle Gibson is eligible for free agency after the season. But Zack Wheeler is signed through 2024, Aaron Nola has a $16 million team option for next season, and Ranger Suárez is under team control through 2025. The Phillies have high hopes for top pitching prospects Mick Abel and Andrew Painter, but both are still in A-ball and likely at least another couple of seasons from the majors.

“We’ve expressed all along that we like Zach and would love to keep him in the organization,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “Of course it has to be mutual. But there’s a chance, and it’s a positive for us to get this thing accomplished and give us that opportunity.”

» READ MORE: How the Phillies can improve their three biggest weaknesses by the trade deadline

For Eflin, the mutual option may provide security. He likely would prefer signing a multiyear deal in the offseason rather than returning to the Phillies for one more year. But he also hasn’t made more than 28 starts or worked more than 163 1/3 innings in a season because of injuries, including surgery on both knees.

The gesture of agreeing to a mutual option also represents Eflin’s interest in staying with the Phillies beyond this season. He has been with them for seven years, becoming a full-fledged member of the rotation in 2018. His daughter was born in New Jersey last winter.

“I’ve made it pretty clear that I want to be here long-term,” Eflin said. “I think that was a step in the right direction to at least start those conversations.”

Surely it beats the alternative of having to listen to your employer argue for why you aren’t worth as much as you think, a process that Dombrowski said “doesn’t have to be nasty but is not pleasant, normally.”

“You don’t really go in there and say, ‘You stink.’ That would be bad,” Dombrowski said. “You just sort of lay out why you think [the team’s] salary fits, but they may take it as [negative] and that’s what you’re trying to avoid.”

Eflin will just have to take his word for it.

» READ MORE: Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski defends play of center fielder Odúbel Herrera: He’s ‘done OK for us’

Shortstop Didi Gregorius (knee) took batting practice to test his sprained left knee, which has acted up when he rotates through his swing. When he’s ready to return, he likely will need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, manager Joe Girardi said. ... Center fielder Roman Quinn on his 99.9-mph throw to home plate to cut down William Contreras on Monday night: “I think I’m getting a little stronger.” His previous career-high throw was 98.3 mph, according to Statcast. ... Before Eflin and Wheeler (12 strikeouts Monday night), the Phillies hadn’t had back-to-back double-digit strikeout starts since Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels (10 apiece) on Sept. 17-19, 2012. ... Suárez (4-2, 4.12 ERA) will start Wednesday night against Braves right-hander Charlie Morton (3-3, 4.95).