TORONTO, CANADA – JUNE 14: Zach Eflin #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies exits the game as he is relieved in the third inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 14, 2016 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies have several important decisions to make as they prepare for another offseason of change anchored around a handful of highly paid veteran stars.
After another early postseason exit, the Phillies will return with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber anchoring the lineup. But the potential exodus of several high-profile free agents gives the team a chance to mix things up.
“More than a half-dozen players from the Phillies’ roster are headed for free agency, leading Bryce Harper to comment after the club’s National League Wild Card Series loss that the team will look ‘a lot different’ in 2027,” as Mark Feinsand noted for MLB.com.
And while the Phillies’ front office weighs which players to retain and where it can pursue upgrades, a long-time fan favorite pitcher is facing a potentially significant decision of his own with his new team.
Homegrown Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Faces Uncertain Future After Contract Setback With New Team
Zach Eflin, who spent the first seven seasons of his major league career with Philadelphia before moving on to the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, is approaching another crossroads. The right-hander’s future in Baltimore is uncertain after an injury cut short his 2026 season, but his preference for where he pitches next has become clearer after a recent report.
“Eflin’s contract includes a $25 million mutual option and $2 million buyout. He’d love to stay, which he expressed again to me recently, but he’s probably headed back to free agency as he recovers from his surgery,” Roch Kubatko reported for MASN.
Eflin’s contract situation comes after a difficult first season of his second stint with the Orioles. Baltimore brought him back on a one-year, $10 million contract in December 2025, with the mutual option providing a potential path to a longer stay.
However, that arrangement became considerably less straightforward after Eflin made just one start in 2026. He exited his March 31 outing against the Texas Rangers with elbow discomfort, and subsequent testing revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament. He underwent reconstructive surgery in April, ending his season before it could get underway.
The injury was particularly unfortunate given that Eflin had already undergone lower-back surgery in August 2025. He returned to Baltimore hoping to reestablish himself in the rotation, but his latest setback has instead left his immediate playing future tied to his rehabilitation.
Could Zach Eflin Return To The Philadelphia Phillies After Contract Message?
Eflin’s desire to remain with the Orioles does not mean his new team will exercise its side of the mutual option. The Orioles are virtually guaranteed to decline that option, even if they want to re-sign him, as his injury history has diminished his market value.
For the Phillies, facing plenty of their own offseason uncertainty, Eflin’s situation is a reminder of how quickly familiar players can become available again. The Phillies originally selected him in the first round of the 2012 draft, and he developed into a regular starter during his time with the organization before departing as a free agent after the 2022 season.
He later enjoyed a career-best season with Tampa Bay in 2023, finishing sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting, before moving to Baltimore in 2024. Depending on how things go for him this winter, Eflin could find himself with some renewed interest from his old team.
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