The Tampa Bay Rays technically didn't get a quality start out of Zach Eflin on Tuesday, but the veteran pitcher once again lifted his team to victory by keeping things under control.
Eflin tossed 5.0 innings against the Boston Red Sox, allowing three earned runs in the Rays' eventual 9-7 win. The Red Sox were only able to notch five hits when Eflin was on the mound, and they were unable to draw a single walk out of him.
Through 31 starts this season, Eflin has not allowed 10-plus hits or three-plus walks in any of them. According to OptaSTATS, that is the most starts in the modern era without giving up either of those marks in any outing.
The current record-holder is Josh Tomlin, who achieved the feat in all 29 of his starts with the Cleveland Guardians in 2016. With just four games left in the 2023 regular season, Eflin is unlikely to start another game, meaning the record will soon be his.
Eflin has set career highs in innings pitched, starts, wins, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP and WAR this season – his first with the Rays. Eflin spent the previous seven years as an end-of-the-rotation starter with the Philadelphia Phillies before finally leaving via free agency last winter.
Due to injuries to Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow and others – as well as a the disappointing performance of trade deadline acquisition Aaron Civale – Eflin has had to serve as Tampa Bay's de facto ace for much of the season. He has taken full advantage of the opportunity, going 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.024 WHIP with 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
The 29-year-old Eflin is currently in line to start for the Rays in the AL Wild Card round, unless they can overcome a 2.5-game deficit to overtake the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East title.
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