Zachary Adams Eflin Bio
Zachary Adams Eflin (born April 8, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and Baltimore Orioles. The San Diego Padres selected Eflin in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2012 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2016. Eflin has established himself as a reliable pitcher with a focus on command and groundball outs, and he led the American League in wins during the 2023 season with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Early Life and Background
Zachary Adams Eflin was born in Orlando, Florida. He grew up in a family that faced significant challenges. Eflin’s older sister Ashley died of leukemia at age seven. Another sister, Candace, whom Eflin has described as his greatest inspiration, has had special needs since birth due to global developmental delay from oxygen deprivation. His eldest sister, Brittany, works as a registered nurse. Throughout his upbringing, Eflin leaned heavily on his Christian faith, and his paternal grandfather has served as a pastor for 60 years.
Eflin attended Paul J. Hagerty High School in Oviedo, Florida, where he played baseball. During his junior year, he considered quitting the baseball team to join the golf team but ultimately decided against it. While in high school, Eflin experienced a growth spurt of seven inches and transformed into a dominant starting pitcher who attracted attention from colleges and professional scouts. In his senior year, he posted an impressive 0.51 earned run average (ERA) with 59 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched. Although Eflin signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Central Florida on a college baseball scholarship, he ultimately chose to sign with the San Diego Padres after being drafted.
Path to Professional Baseball
The San Diego Padres selected Eflin in the first round, with the 33rd overall selection, of the 2012 MLB draft. He signed with the Padres and received a $1.2 million signing bonus rather than enrolling at UCF. Eflin began his professional career in 2012 with the AZL Padres in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a 0-1 record with a 7.71 ERA in seven innings. He missed time during his first professional season after contracting mononucleosis.
In 2013, his first full professional season, Eflin pitched for the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Single-A Midwest League. He posted a 7-6 record and led the league with a 2.73 ERA while recording 86 strikeouts in 118 and two-thirds innings. After the season, baseball analyst Keith Law ranked Eflin as the eighth-best prospect in the Padres’ minor league system. In 2014, Eflin pitched for the Lake Elsinore Storm of the High-A California League, finishing with a 10-7 record and a 3.80 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 128 innings. He was subsequently ranked as the number five prospect in the Padres’ system, recognized for his exceptional control.
Zachary Adams Eflin Career
Philadelphia Phillies Era (2016–2022)
On December 18, 2014, the Padres traded Eflin, Joe Wieland, and Yasmani Grandal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for all-star outfielder Matt Kemp. Less than 24 hours later, Eflin came to the Philadelphia Phillies with Tom Windle from the Dodgers in a trade that sent franchise star Jimmy Rollins to Los Angeles. The Phillies had zeroed in on Eflin on the advice of Gorman Heimueller, a former Phillies instructor working in the Padres organization, who believed Eflin had the makings to pitch at the top of a rotation.
After Baseball America named him the fourth-best prospect in the Phillies minor league system prior to the 2015 season, Eflin spent that year with the Class AA Reading Fightin Phils, finishing with an 8-6 record and a 3.69 ERA in 131 and two-thirds innings. After the season, he pitched for Team USA at the 2015 Pan American Games, where the team won the silver medal. This marked the first time Eflin worked with catcher Andrew Knapp, with whom he developed a strong rapport that continued into the major leagues.
Eflin made his MLB debut on June 14, 2016, at 22 years of age, becoming the fourth-youngest pitcher to debut for the Phillies since 2000. His debut was challenging, as he allowed eight earned runs by the Toronto Blue Jays in two and two-thirds innings on nine hits, three of which were home runs. However, Eflin rebounded with two complete games in July, including a Maddux shutout of the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies placed him on the disabled list on August 9 due to patellar tendinopathy in both knees, and he underwent season-ending knee surgeries in August and September. In 2016, he went 3-5 with a 5.54 ERA in 63 and one-third innings.
Establishing Himself (2017–2019)
Eflin began the 2017 season on the disabled list as he continued recovering from his knee injuries. He was activated on April 11 and optioned to Triple-A. His season debut came on April 18 against the New York Mets, and he began a 29-inning streak of not allowing any runs to opposing hitters that spanned four starts. However, he struggled through the remainder of the season, finishing 2017 with a 1-5 record and a 6.16 ERA in 64 and one-third innings with the Phillies.
In 2018, Eflin opened the season in Triple-A Lehigh Valley but returned to the major leagues by the end of April. Armed with a new approach on the mound, he recorded career-high strikeout totals throughout the season and spent almost the entire remainder of the season with the big-league club. For the season, Eflin went 11-8 with a 4.36 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 128 innings. From 2019 onward, Eflin remained entirely in the major leagues. In 2019, he went 10-13 with a 4.13 ERA in 28 starts, pitching two complete games and one shutout while leading the National League in complete games. He pitched 163 and one-third innings and gave up 28 home runs, the eighth most in the National League.
Challenges and 2021 Season
During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and pitching coach Chris Young advised Eflin to try becoming a power pitcher, overpowering hitters with high fastballs and hard breaking pitches. Although the approach initially showed signs of success, he eventually began to struggle before suffering an injury midway through the season and losing his spot in the starting rotation. He ultimately abandoned that approach, returning to focus on his sinker and not being afraid to pitch to contact during the abbreviated 2020 season. He also incorporated a curveball more regularly in his repertoire, which helped him record more strikeouts.
Entering the 2021 season, analysts, coaches, and teammates suggested Eflin could be a candidate for a breakout season near the top of the Phillies’ starting rotation. He worked to a 4-7 record and 4.17 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 18 starts before undergoing season-ending knee surgery on September 8, 2021, to repair a tear in his right patellar tendon. In the 2022 regular season, he went 3-5 with one save and a 4.04 ERA over 75.2 innings in 20 games. After suffering a right knee contusion, he was placed on the 60-day injured list and moved to the bullpen upon his return in September. He posted a 3.38 ERA over 10 and two-thirds playoff innings in 10 games, earning a save in the Phillies’ series-clinching win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Tampa Bay Rays (2023–2024)
On December 13, 2022, the Tampa Bay Rays signed Eflin to a three-year, $40 million contract, the largest free agent deal in Rays history at that time. Eflin was reportedly offered the exact same contract terms by the division-rival Boston Red Sox but declined, citing his Orlando roots and the opportunity to work with Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder. He made 31 starts for Tampa Bay in 2023, compiling a 16-8 record and 3.50 ERA with 186 strikeouts across 177 and two-thirds innings of work. His 16 wins led the American League, establishing him as one of the top pitchers in the league that season.
Eflin began the 2024 campaign in the Rays’ rotation, logging a 5-7 record and 4.09 ERA with 87 strikeouts across 19 starts before being traded.
Baltimore Orioles (2024–Present)
On July 26, 2024, Eflin was traded with cash considerations to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Matthew Etzel, Jackson Baumeister, and Mac Horvath. He won his Orioles debut in an 11-5 home victory over the Toronto Blue Jays three days later in the first game of a two-night doubleheader on July 29. He completed six innings, struck out seven without a walk, and gave up ten hits which included an Addison Barger one-out, three-run homer in the fifth. He joined Jack Harshman as the second Orioles pitcher to win each of his first five appearances with the ballclub in a 6-1 away victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Eflin was named the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Orioles on March 14, 2025. He made 14 starts for Baltimore during the 2025 campaign, compiling a 6-5 record and 5.93 ERA with 50 strikeouts across 71 and one-third innings pitched. On August 12, 2025, manager Tony Mansolino announced that Eflin would miss the remainder of the season due to a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure. He was formally transferred to the 60-day injured list on August 17. On December 28, 2025, the Orioles re-signed Eflin to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027. He made his first start of the 2026 season against the Texas Rangers on March 31 but exited the game in the fourth inning with a right elbow injury. The Orioles placed Eflin on the 60-day injured list on April 7. On April 8, the Orioles announced that Eflin underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2026 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Eflin was a middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher with the Phillies and is known for relying on a sinking fastball and slider combination in pursuit of groundball outs. He possesses strong command of his pitches, issuing few walks. Long prone to pitch to contact, in 2018 he began to throw harder, aiming to blow pitches past hitters and record strikeouts. He moved away from that approach after struggling in 2019 and returned to his roots in terms of how he approached batters. In 2020, he began to incorporate a curveball more regularly in his repertoire, diminishing his reliance on a changeup. This decision helped him record more strikeouts and fueled expectations entering the 2021 season. However, he has had a history of knee injuries and has never pitched more than 163 and one-third innings in a single season, with his durability being a acknowledged concern.
Notable Events and Milestones
Eflin’s career has been marked by several significant moments. His MLB debut on June 14, 2016, was challenging but he responded with a Maddux shutout of the Atlanta Braves later that season. The 2023 season represented his breakthrough, as he led the American League with 16 wins while posting a 3.50 ERA with 186 strikeouts. His Orioles debut in July 2024 was successful, and he won each of his first five appearances with Baltimore. Despite injuries throughout his career, including knee surgeries in 2016 and 2021, a lumbar microdiscectomy in 2025, and UCL reconstruction in 2026, Eflin has consistently worked to return to the mound and contribute to his teams.
Zachary Adams Eflin Career Wins
Throughout his MLB career from 2016 through the 2025 season, Eflin has accumulated 68 wins against 67 losses with a 4.28 earned run average and 929 strikeouts across his appearances. His most successful season came in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays when he led the American League in wins.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Eflin’s MLB career spans from 2016 to 2025 with a record of 68-67, a 4.28 ERA, and 929 strikeouts. His breakthrough season came in 2023 with Tampa Bay, where he went 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 177 and two-thirds innings, leading the American League in wins. His 2023 performance earned him American League wins leader honors and represented the best season of his career. Other notable seasons include 2019 when he led the National League with two complete games and went 10-13 with a 4.13 ERA, and 2018 when he posted his then-career-high of 11 wins with a 4.36 ERA and 123 strikeouts.
International and Minor League Achievements
After the 2015 season with the Reading Fightin Phils, Eflin pitched for Team USA at the 2015 Pan American Games, where the team won the silver medal. In the minor leagues, he led the Midwest League with a 2.73 ERA in 2013 while pitching for the Fort Wayne TinCaps. His strong minor league performances helped establish him as one of the top prospects in both the Padres and Phillies organizations.
| Competition | Wins | Losses | ERA | Strikeouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major League Baseball (Career) | 68 | 67 | 4.28 | 929 |
| Tampa Bay Rays (2023) | 16 | 8 | 3.50 | 186 |
Zachary Adams Eflin Family
Family Background and Personal Challenges
Eflin grew up in Orlando, Florida, with three sisters: Ashley, Candace, and Brittany. His older sister Ashley died of leukemia at age seven, a loss that deeply affected his family. His sister Candace, whom Eflin considers his greatest inspiration, has had special needs since birth due to global developmental delay from oxygen deprivation. His eldest sister, Brittany, became a registered nurse. Throughout his challenging upbringing, Eflin leaned heavily on his Christian faith, which he credits as helping him through difficult times. His paternal grandfather has served as a pastor for 60 years, further influencing his spiritual foundation.
Personal Life
Eflin married his longtime girlfriend Lauren Dennen in December 2020. Together they have four children: a daughter born October 9, 2021, twin daughters born March 2023, and a son born in February 2025. Eflin has done work to support pediatric patients in Philadelphia hospitals, including appearances at sleepovers in the Phillies’ clubhouse. He is known for his Christian faith and credits it with helping him through his challenging upbringing and baseball career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a significant year for Eflin with the Baltimore Orioles. He was named the Opening Day starting pitcher on March 14, 2025, representing the trust the organization placed in him as a veteran presence in the rotation. He made 14 starts for Baltimore during the campaign, compiling a 6-5 record and a 5.93 ERA with 50 strikeouts across 71 and one-third innings pitched. The season was interrupted when, on August 12, 2025, manager Tony Mansolino announced that Eflin would miss the remainder of the season due to a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure. He was formally transferred to the 60-day injured list on August 17. Despite the injury-shortened season, Eflin showed flashes of his capabilities when healthy. Following the season, on December 28, 2025, the Orioles re-signed Eflin to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027, indicating their continued belief in his ability to contribute when healthy. However, his 2026 season began with another injury setback as he underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in April, expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season.