Phillies’ Zach Eflin continues his strong spring in win over Yankees
Eflin has not allowed a hit in 5 2/3 inning this spring.
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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Phillies starter Zach Eflin had another strong outing Thursday in a 5-3 win over the Yankees, retiring 10 of the 11 batters he faced and striking out three with one walk.
In his 5⅔ innings of work this spring, Eflin has allowed no hits. After the bottom of the lineup scored three runs in the third inning, No. 3 hitter Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run in the fifth to give the Phillies a 5-0 lead. The Yankees made a late-inning rally, scoring two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth, but Cam Bedrosian earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
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On the mound: Eflin continues to show the Phillies that he’s ready and willing to contribute after undergoing knee surgery last September. He will make one more start and try to go a little bit deeper into the game after going 3⅔ innings on Thursday.
Quotable: “He was very efficient,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said of Eflin. “Fifty-one pitches to get 11 outs. Almost got through the fourth — J.T. [Realmuto] was joking with him that if he had been more efficient, he would’ve gotten through four. But everything was working. I don’t think you could’ve asked for any more than what he’s done this spring, and where he’s at.”
Next: The Phillies face the Baltimore Orioles at 1:05 p.m. Friday in Sarasota, Fla. (Streaming on MLB.com).