Phillies could get reinforcements with Zach Eflin and Zack Wheeler working to return

A few dozen media members, players, coaches and trainers huddled under the overhang of the Phillies dugout on Tuesday afternoon, eager to catch a glimpse of Zach Eflin. The right-hander hadn’t faced live hitters since June 25, when he tweaked his right knee while turning to throw to first base after fielding a grounder.

Given Eflin’s injury history — he’s had surgery on both knees — it was unclear whether he’d be back by the end of the season. But recently, he’s been making progress. Last week, Eflin threw bullpen sessions in Arizona and San Francisco. His next step was to pitch in a simulated game on Tuesday, which interim manager Rob Thomson said went “really good.”

» READ MORE: Why Zach Eflin and Griff McGarry are the X factors for the Phillies’ shorthanded pitching staff

Eflin threw 26 pitches over two innings. Thomson said he was hitting 93-94 mph, and that his stuff looked “crisp.” Eflin will likely need a rehab assignment, and with only 28 games remaining in the season, there won’t be time to stretch him out as a starter. But if all goes well, he could come back as a reliever.

Eflin wasn’t the only pitcher who threw in Tuesday’s simulated game. Reliever Seranthony Domínguez, who has been on the 15-day injured list since Aug. 21 (retroactive to Aug. 18) with right triceps tendinitis, also threw a few pitches. Thomson said he was hitting 95-96 mph, which is encouraging, given that Domínguez was not throwing for a while. The Phillies will reevaluate Domínguez and Eflin on Wednesday and make a decision on whether they go on rehab assignments.

Thomson is optimistic that if the pitchers do go on rehab assignments, they won’t need too much time. He said that Domínguez might need only one or two games, and Eflin, if he feels good after one game, could be back with the big league club a few days later.

Zack Wheeler, who has been sidelined with right forearm tendinitis since Aug. 25 (retroactive to Aug. 22), played catch out to 60 feet on Tuesday, and told his manager that he felt fine afterward. Wheeler will likely get stretched out before he throws a bullpen session and could go on a rehab assignment after that. The team trainers were mapping out a plan with him on Tuesday.

Thomson said he would have preferred to have Wheeler back “yesterday,” but it’ll likely be a little while.

“I would think that he’ll have to throw a couple of really solid bullpens,” Thomson said, “so that’s at least a week. We’ll see.”

The Phillies have been paying closer attention of late to top pitching prospect Griff McGarry. McGarry was promoted to triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday and was scheduled to pitch in relief, but the game was rained out. With an off-day on Tuesday, Thomson said it’s likely that McGarry will pitch on Wednesday.

McGarry is a starter but has been used in relief in his last few outings because the Phillies want to see how he could fit in their bullpen. When asked whether McGarry joining the bullpen this season is realistic, Thomson said he does not know.

“It’s just so we have another option,” Thomson said of McGarry, a fifth-round draft pick out of the University of Virginia last year. “He has a really good arm. And hopefully with Eflin coming back, Seranthony coming back, and Wheeler coming back, we’ve got a whole bunch of options.”

An MRI showed that right fielder Nick Castellanos has a “mild strain” in the oblique muscle in his right side, Thomson said. Castellanos was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sept. 4, retroactive to Sept. 3. There’s no firm timeline for his return. The Phillies are hoping that once he’s eligible to come off the injured list, he can rejoin the club.