Why Zach Eflin feels so much more comfortable with Rays this year
PORT CHARLOTTE — Zach Eflin has ample reason to feel more comfortable with the Rays this spring.
Last year he was the new guy, leaving the Phillies — and their veteran-led clubhouse — after seven seasons. Signing the largest free-agent contract in Rays history — $40 million over three years — created expectations, and some questions. There were logistical issues with spring camp being split between Disney and St. Petersburg. And he had some understandable distractions as wife Lauren was headed to a late-March delivery of their twin girls, who needed time in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“It was a different spring training for me last year,” Eflin said.
Flash forward to Thursday.
Eflin made his spring debut, and first tuneup for a likely opening day start, as one of the main team leaders. He was praised for the stellar work he did on the mound, posting an American League co-leading 16 wins in a career-high 31 starts, and off, serving as a mentor to young and less experienced players and a force unifier for all.
“Really appreciative of everything he did on the field, and just as much everything he did in the clubhouse,” manager Kevin Cash said. “There were a lot of things that he did, team building-wise, to kind of bring the group together.”
Closer Pete Fairbanks had a similar take.
“He threw a ton of innings and he was a very stable presence,” Fairbanks said. “He did a lot for our clubhouse, a lot for our onfield performance. I thought he was fantastic.”
Eflin, who turns 30 in April, said he didn’t plan to take that leadership role, but sensed a void in the Tampa Bay clubhouse, which lost Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino among other veterans, and eased into it.
“It was quite unexpected, to be honest,” Eflin said. “But that’s kind of what you get on a team that didn’t really have any contract guys. I think they were kind of looking for veteran leadership ... there just really necessarily wasn’t someone like that here.
“So I feel like it was a perfect opportunity for me to kind of open my mind on everything I learned in Philly. I had so many veterans that I played with. So it was a lot of fun last year, and looking forward to taking another big step this year and (the team) playing hard every single day and playing the game the right way.”
Taj Bradley, who made an earlier-than-expected debut last April at 22 years old, said Eflin provided a huge boost throughout his rookie season, specifically in handling the ups and downs.
“With some of the outings I had, he helped me get through that,” Bradley said. “He was just a good guy to be around. He’d take you out to dinner. He was like our veteran guy, but also he was a friend of yours. He wasn’t too taxing on you or anything like that. He wasn’t hard on you. He was just there to help you along the way and help you mature and become better.”
Eflin, in turn, praised the Rays — front office, coaches, teammates, athletic training staff, clubhouse crew — for providing the support he needed to have a stellar season.
He finished sixth in the American League Cy Young award voting, matched Toronto’s Chris Bassitt for the AL wins lead, and led the Rays with his 31 starts, 177 2/3 innings and 186 strikeouts.
“It’s just a huge testament to the pitching staff helping me understand who I was as a pitcher, the defense playing behind me and, obviously, the offense,” Eflin said. “Without all three of those things working together in unison there wasn’t a last year.”
From an individual standpoint, he was most proud of his workload, missing just 15 days in April due to back tightness.
“That was the most refreshing thing in my life, going out there and really just focusing on pitching and not worrying about pitching through pain or anything like that,” he said. “So it was awesome. And I’m looking forward to getting 33-plus starts this year.”
The Rays also lauded his professionalism and work ethic, which he showed in Thursday’s 1 2/3-inning, 38-pitch, 25-strike outing. He worked specifically on throwing all six of his pitches to the corners of the plate. That he allowed four runs — three on his final pitch when Atlanta’s Forrest Wall homered — was hardly a concern.
Plus, there is a broader view.
“I feel like we’re really close as a team this spring,” Eflin said. “We’re going to make it a point this year to be as close as we can to make sure that we’re playing together as a team. And it’s nice to feel a part of that. To get all these young guys in a professional mindset to show up, get their work done, and be good teammate, that’s really all we ask for.
“So it’s going to be a fun year.”
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