Phillies to keep Zach Eflin in starting rotation

Another rough outing from Zach Eflin will not be enough to push him out of the starting rotation. Gabe Kapler said after Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Braves that Eflin will make his next start for the Phillies.

Eflin lasted just 2⅔ innings and allowed six runs in Saturday’s 15-7 loss to the Braves. He has been ailed by a “heavy body” and has a 10.46 ERA in his last six starts, four of which have been five innings or shorter. He started the season as the team’s most reliable pitcher and carried an ERA less than 3.00 into the middle of June before seeming to hit a wall.

“It’s more the ebbs and flows of the season. Sometimes you have your best stuff. Sometimes you don’t have your best stuff. Sometimes you have command. And sometimes you’re leaving the ball up in the middle of the plate,” Kapler said. “I don’t think any of our guys in this environment are good enough when their command is off and their stuff isn’t at its best. This is a really tough league with a lot of good hitters. Our guys need to come out sharp. That’s not true of any one individual. It’s true of everyone across the board. It’s such a competitive environment. You have to be strong with your command and stuff to be really good in this league.”

The Phillies will start Drew Smyly, Vince Velasquez, and Jake Arrieta this week in a three-game series against the Giants. That would leave Eflin to start next weekend against the White Sox.

The team is expected to add a starting pitcher before Wednesday afternoon’s trade deadline, which would cause them to create a vacancy in the starting rotation. That pitcher could be Eflin. Or Velasquez, who has already shuffled between the bullpen and the starting rotation. Or Arrieta, if his bone spur becomes too much to pitch through. The next week could determine who that pitcher is. Until then, Eflin will remain in the rotation.

“My job is to figure out what it is and go back to what I was doing when I was doing good,” Eflin said.

The Phillies are off on Monday before hosting the Giants on Tuesday. ... Cole Irvin was optioned to triple A before Sunday’s game and Edgar Garcia returned from the minors. ... J.T. Realmuto is the first Phillies player to hit a grand slam as a catcher since Mike Lieberthal did on July 30, 2006.