The Phillies introduced they’ve activated righty Zach Eflin from the 60-day injured checklist. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, Philadelphia recalled right-hander Mark Appel from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and positioned him on the MLB 60-day IL.
Eflin returns to the energetic roster for the primary time since June 26. The 28-year-old has been bothered by a proper knee contusion, the continuation of career-long points with the joint. He’s undergone surgical procedure on the knee in each 2016 and ’21, and whereas he didn’t must go below the knife this time round, the membership little doubt factored in his damage historical past in figuring out how shortly he may ramp again up. Eflin simply started a minor league rehab task final Friday, tossing two innings and 27 pitches in Lehigh Valley. After one sport, he’s prepared to leap proper again to the massive leagues.
The rehab stint needed to be expedited by the shortage of time remaining on the common season schedule. There’s a bit greater than three weeks to play, and the 78-62 Phils are battling for his or her first postseason look in over a decade. Philadelphia is 1 1/2 video games up on the Padres for the Nationwide League’s second Wild Card spot, with a three-game cushion between themselves and the one viable risk to bump them out of the playoff image totally, the Brewers.
There wasn’t ample time to construct Eflin again to a standard starter’s workload, so he’ll transfer into the bullpen for interim skipper Rob Thomson. Philadelphia’s reduction corps has been middle-of-the-pack this season. That’s a marked enchancment over the previous couple years, however the Phils lately misplaced Corey Knebel for the season. Commerce deadline acquisition David Robertson, Seranthony Domínguez (himself lately activated from the injured checklist) and Connor Brogdon have emerged as Thomson’s high right-handed choices.
Working from the bullpen is unfamiliar territory for Eflin, who has began 115 of his 120 MLB appearances. He’s been a dependable mid-rotation arm for almost all of that point, posting an ERA between 3.97 and 4.37 in every of the previous 5 years. Eflin has been one of many sport’s most constant strike-throwers, and whereas he hasn’t missed many bats, he’ll be one of many steadier rotation choices out there on this winter’s free agent market.
Appel’s season involves an unlucky early shut. He’s battling irritation in his throwing elbow, in keeping with the membership’s transactions log at MLB.com, and the 60-day minimal formally closes the books on his returning this yr. Appel’s most up-to-date look with Lehigh Valley got here on September 3, and he landed on the minor league injured checklist not too lengthy thereafter.
It’s a disappointing conclusion to the yr, however 2022 has to go down as a convincing success for the previous first general decide. Appel by no means reached the massive leagues together with his unique group, the Astros, and he appeared as if he’d by no means seem on the highest degree after stepping away from the sport following the 2017 marketing campaign. Appel made a comeback effort final yr, and he remained within the Philadelphia system this season. Appel earned his long-awaited first promotion in mid-June, and he finishes the season with 10 1/3 innings of two-run ball within the massive leagues.
Philadelphia pays Appel on the prorated $700K MLB minimal price for the remainder of the season to briefly take away him from the 40-man roster. The 31-year-old is in his second of three minor league choice years and may proceed to bounce on and off the Phils energetic roster subsequent season.
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