Phillies news and rumors 7/5: Zach Eflin writes touching message to Aaron Nola
Aaron Nola vs. Zach Eflin was a pitcher’s duel that lived up to the hype.
In the end, Nola got the best of his closest friend in baseball, going 7 1/3 innings and allowing only one run on a home run on the final pitch he threw. He tied a career high in strikeouts with 12. Eflin allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings.
After the game, the two exchanged jerseys at home plate. Both pitchers wrote a message for the other on the No. 2 patch. Nola’s message is hard to decipher, but based on a photo the Phillies posted on social media, Eflin wrote this:
“You’ll never know how much your friendship means to me. Love you brother.”
The two have been friends since 2015 when the pair pitched in the same rotation for Double-A Reading. Nola eventually got called up to the big leagues later that year and never looked back. Eflin debuted a year later in 2016. As Matt Gelb detailed in his story for The Athletic, Eflin was there for Nola during his September struggles and Nola was there for Eflin as he battled numerous knee injuries.
Eflin signed a three-year, $40 million contract this past offseason with the Tampa Bay Rays, the largest free agent contract ever handed out by the Rays, after the Phillies declined their end of a $15 million mutual option.
In his first season with the Rays, Eflin is 9-4 with a 3.24 ERA. He won’t pitch in the All-Star Game since he’s scheduled to start again the Sunday before the break, but he has a chance to make the AL team as an injury replacement.
Must-read (or watch) Phillies content
- Andrew Painter was supposed to throw to hitters for the first time since March on the Fourth of July, but that didn’t happen. Here are the latest Phillies injury updates.
- Matt Gelb’s feature on Nola and Eflin’s friendship is essential reading.
- Anthony SanFilippo and Bob Wankel of Crossing Broad just released a fantastic interview with Garrett Stubbs on the “Crossed Up” podcast.
- Jake Mintz, one half of Céspedes Family BBQ, wrote a great story for FOX Sports on how often players like Brandon Marsh, Alec Bohm and José Alvarado get recognized in public after the Phillies’ run to the World Series.
- Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer caught up with Eflin before Tuesday’s game to detail his excitement for the opportunity to pitch against his former teammates and how the Phillies approached his impending free agency.
- The Phillies are tied for the final wild card spot in the National League.
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