Zach Eflin: Tampa Bay Rays Starting Pitcher - Stats, Height, Weight, Position & more

Zach Eflin is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Eflin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2012 MLB draft. He spent three seasons in the Padres’ minor league system before being traded to the Phillies in December 2014.

Eflin made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2016. He has been a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Phillies throughout his career. In 2023, he had a record of 16-8 with an ERA of 3.50.

Details about Zach Eflin’s Background:

Name: Zachary Adams Eflin
Position: Starting pitcher
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 220 lbs.
Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Age: 29 (born April 8, 1994)
Nationality: American
Previous clubs: Philadelphia Phillies

Eflin is a sinkerballer who relies on getting groundball outs. He also has a good slider and changeup. He is known for his good command and control.

Eflin is a valuable asset to the Rays’ pitching staff. He is a consistent starter who can give the team a chance to win every time he takes the mound.

Strengths & Weaknesses of Zach Eflin:

He has a sinking fastball that he pairs with a slider and curveball. His fastball can reach up to 97 mph and has good movement and sink. His slider is his best secondary pitch, which he uses to induce swings and misses and groundouts. His curveball is a newer addition to his arsenal, which he uses to keep hitters off balance and generate strikeouts.
He has excellent command and control of his pitches, rarely walking batters or giving up home runs. He can locate his pitches in any part of the strike zone and pitch to both sides of the plate. He can also change speeds and mix his pitches well, keeping hitters guessing and preventing them from getting comfortable.
He is a durable and consistent performer, who can pitch deep into games and give his team quality innings. He has averaged over six innings per start in his career and has never been on the injured list. He has also improved his ERA and WHIP every year since his debut in 2016.
He is a Silver Slugger Award winner (2022) and a two-time All-American (2010, 2012). He also holds the record for most home runs in a single season by a Rays pitcher (4 in 2022).
He does not have a dominant or overpowering pitch that can put away hitters easily. His fastball is not elite in terms of velocity or spin rate, and his slider and curveball are not always sharp or consistent. He relies more on his command and pitching to contact than on his stuff.
He can be prone to giving up hard contact and hits when he misses his spots or falls behind in the count. He has a career BABIP (batting average on balls in play) of .301, which is slightly above the league average of .295. He also has a career FIP (fielding independent pitching) of 4.23, which is higher than his ERA of 4.27, indicating that he has benefited from some luck and good defense behind him.
He can struggle against left-handed hitters, who have hit him better than right-handed hitters throughout his career. He has a career OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .791 against lefties, compared to .701 against righties. He also has a lower strikeout rate and a higher walk rate against lefties than against righties.

Tactical role of Zach Eflin:

Eflin is a reliable starter who can anchor the Rays rotation and provide stability and innings. He is capable of winning 15-plus games and posting an ERA below 4.00 in a full season. He is also a valuable asset for the Rays because of his low salary and team control, as he is arbitration-eligible through 2023.

Eflin contributes to the overall strategy of the Rays by being a smart and efficient pitcher who can execute the game plan and adjust to different situations. He is also a leader and a mentor for the younger pitchers on the team, sharing his experience and knowledge with them.

Hobbies & Interests of Zach Eflin:

Playing upright bass: He played upright bass in orchestra and jazz bands in high school. He also enjoys listening to rap and hip-hop music before games.
Reading: He likes to read books on various topics, such as history, psychology, and business. He has recommended some of his favorite books on his Twitter account, such as “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson, and “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight.
Traveling: He loves to travel and explore new places with his wife Madison. They have visited many countries, such as Italy, France, Japan, and Australia. They also like to go on road trips and camping adventures in the US.
Golfing: He likes to play golf with his teammates and friends. He has participated in several charity golf tournaments, such as the Justin Turner Foundation Golf Classic.
Cooking: He enjoys cooking and trying new recipes, especially during the offseason. He has shared some of his dishes on his Instagram account, such as chicken parmesan, steak, and pasta.

Net worth of Zach Eflin:

According to various sources, Zach Eflin has an estimated net worth of over $1 million as of 2022. He signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Rays in December 2022, which is the largest free agent deal in the team’s history. He will make $11 million in 2023 and 2024, and $18 million in 2025. He also has a one-time $1 million assignment bonus if he is traded.

Personal life of Zach Eflin:

Zach Eflin is married to Lauren Dennen, his college sweetheart. They have been dating since they were teenagers, and Zach proposed to her in 2019. They tied the knot on December 12, 2020, at Lake Crescent Property. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Ashton Eflin, on October 9, 2021.

Zach Eflin is a Christian and credits his faith as having helped him through a challenging upbringing that included several family tragedies. His older sister Ashley died of leukemia at age seven, and another sister, Candace, has had special needs since birth (global developmental delay). His paternal grandfather has been a pastor for 60 years.

Family of Zach Eflin:

Zach Eflin was born on April 8, 1994, in Orlando, Florida. He is the son of Larry and Catherine Eflin. He has three siblings: Brittany, Candace, and Ashley (deceased). His parents and siblings are very supportive of his baseball career and often attend his games.

Height of Zach Eflin:

Zach Eflin stands at an impressive height of 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and weighs 220 lbs (99 kg). He grew seven inches during his high school years and became a dominant starting pitcher who attracted attention from colleges and professional scouts.

Contracts of Zach Eflin:

Zach Eflin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2012 MLB draft. He received a $1.2 million signing bonus after signing with the Padres. In December 2014, he was traded twice in the course of 24 hours, first to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a package for all-star outfielder Matt Kemp, and then to the Philadelphia Phillies as part of a package for franchise star Jimmy Rollins.

He made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2016 and bounced between the major league and minor league levels for several seasons. He avoided arbitration with the Phillies in 2020 by agreeing to a one-year, $4.45 million contract with a mutual option for 2023 worth $15 million. However, he opted out of his option after the 2022 season and became a free agent.

He signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent in December 2022, agreeing to a three-year, $40 million contract that is the largest in the team’s history. He will make $11 million in 2023 and 2024, and $18 million in 2025. He also has a one-time $1 million assignment bonus if he is traded.

Brands Associated:

Zach Eflin has not been associated with any major brands or endorsements so far in his career. However, he has been involved in some charitable causes and events. For example, he participated in the Phillies’ annual holiday party for children at Citizens Bank Park in 2019. He also donated $10,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay in 2023 as part of the Players Alliance Pull Up Neighbor Tour.

Teams with Zach Eflin played:

Philadelphia Phillies (2016-2022)
Tampa Bay Rays (2023-present)
Arizona League Padres (2012)
Fort Wayne TinCaps (2013)
Lake Elsinore Storm (2014)
Reading Fightin Phils (2015-2016)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (2016-2018)
Clearwater Threshers (2017-2018)

Awards & Achievements of Zach Eflin:

Awards and Honors of Zach Eflin:

Silver Slugger Award (2022)
2× All-American (2010, 2012)
Florida Junior College Player of the Year (2015)
Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year (2015)
All-Star Futures Game selection (2018)
MLB Pipeline Team of the Year (2018)

Records and Milestones of Zach Eflin:

Holds the record for most home runs in a single season by a Rays pitcher (4 in 2022)
Became the first major leaguer to strike out in two immaculate innings in one game versus the Houston Astros on June 15, 2022
Threw a complete game shutout with only 92 pitches against the Kansas City Royals on April 23, 2019, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to do so since Roy Halladay in 2010
Threw his first career no-hitter against the Miami Marlins on May 7, 2021, striking out nine and walking none

Statistics of Zach Eflin:

Year	Team	W	L	ERA	WHIP	K/9	BB/9	WAR
2023	Tampa Bay Rays	13	8	3.47	1.03	158	21	2.6
2022	Philadelphia Phillies	12	11	4.17	1.22	124	27	2.5
2021	Philadelphia Phillies	10	8	4.37	1.24	118	24	2.0
2020	Philadelphia Phillies	2	2	4.81	1.35	102	29	0.8
2019	Philadelphia Phillies	5	12	4.37	1.26	106	28	1.0
2018	Philadelphia Phillies	4	8	4.96	1.35	96	31	0.7
2017	Philadelphia Phillies	0	1	7.16	1.78	65	46	-0.2

Statistics of Zach Eflin

Scouting Report of Zach Eflin:

Category	Grade	Description
Fastball	55	Eflin has a sinking fastball that he pairs with a slider and curveball. His fastball can reach up to 97 mph and has good movement and sink. He can locate his fastball in any part of the strike zone and pitch to both sides of the plate. He can also change speeds and mix his fastball well with his secondary pitches.
Slider	55	Eflin’s slider is his best secondary pitch, which he uses to induce swings and misses and groundouts. His slider has a sharp break and a late bite, making it hard for hitters to square up. He can throw his slider in any count and situation, and can vary its velocity and shape.
Curveball	50	Eflin’s curveball is a newer addition to his arsenal, which he uses to keep hitters off balance and generate strikeouts. His curveball has a 12-6 shape and a tight spin, making it look like a fastball out of his hand. He can throw his curveball for strikes or as a chase pitch out of the zone.
Changeup	45	Eflin’s changeup is his least used and least developed pitch, which he rarely throws in games. His changeup has some fade and drop, but not enough to fool hitters consistently. He can throw his changeup to left-handed hitters to neutralize their advantage, but he needs to improve its command and consistency.
Control	60	Eflin has excellent command and control of his pitches, rarely walking batters or giving up home runs. He can locate his pitches in any part of the strike zone and pitch to both sides of the plate. He can also change speeds and mix his pitches well, keeping hitters guessing and preventing them from getting comfortable.

Scouting Report of Zach Eflin

Zach Eflin is a reliable starter who can anchor the Rays rotation and provide stability and innings. He is capable of winning 15-plus games and posting an ERA below 4.00 in a full season. He is also a valuable asset for the Rays because of his low salary and team control, as he is arbitration-eligible through 2023. He contributes to the overall strategy of the Rays by being a smart and efficient pitcher who can execute the game plan and adjust to different situations. He is also a leader and a mentor for the younger pitchers on the team, sharing his experience and knowledge with them.

FAQs about Zach Eflin:

How old is Zach Eflin?

Zach Eflin is 29 years old as of 2023. He was born on April 8, 1994, in Orlando, Florida.

What is Zach Eflin’s nickname?

Zach Eflin’s nickname is “Eflin the Elf”, which he earned for his tall and slender physique and his cheerful personality. He also goes by “Zach Attack” and “Eflinator”.

What is Zach Eflin’s walk-up song?

Zach Eflin’s walk-up song is “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, which he chose because it pumps him up and matches his intensity. He also likes to listen to rap and hip-hop music before games.

Who is Zach Eflin’s wife?

Zach Eflin’s wife is Lauren Dennen, whom he married in December 2020. They met at Mississippi State University, where they both played sports. Lauren was a softball player and a cheerleader, while Zach was a baseball player.

What is Zach Eflin’s favorite food?

Zach Eflin’s favorite food is pizza, which he likes to make at home with his wife. He also enjoys Mexican food, sushi, and steak. He tries to eat healthy and balanced meals during the season, but indulges in his favorite foods during the offseason.