Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin earned a quality start in Monday's victory against the Los Angeles Angels. The right-hander matched his season high of 6 1/3 innings and allowed six hits, no runs, no walks and struck out five on the evening, It was a nice turnaround from his previous outing, which was also against the Angels, but one that saw him allow five runs. Eflin has now made four starts on the young season with mixed results. For the season, he is now 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Despite a couple hiccups this season, managers should remain confident with Eflin and he is worthy of rostering in most formats. Eflin will look to keep it going versus the division rival New York Yankees on Saturday.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin turned in a solid start in Monday's 7-3 loss to the Angels. Eflin tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing six hits and no walks with five strikeouts. The 30-year-old has now pitched a pair of strong and poor starts, bringing his season totals to 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and two walks in 23 1/3 IP. Eflin was excellent last season, so hopefully he can string together consecutive positive outings. That may be tough, as his next scheduled start is at the Yankees.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin will be taking the mound for his second start of the season on Tuesday when they host the Texas Rangers. Eflin was hit hard in his first start of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays, as the right-hander went 5.2 innings allowing six runs on six hits, including three homers while striking out five. Eflin will now face a Rangers lineup that is slashing .280/.375/.503 which ranks eighth, fourth, and third in the majors so Eflin will have his hands full if he's going to bounce back.

Right-hander Zach Eflin will be the Tampa Bay Rays' Opening Day starter on March 28 against the Toronto Blue Jays at home. Eflin being named the team's Opening Day starter in 2024 hardly comes as a surprise following his career year in 2023 with Tampa, when he won a league-high 16 games while also posting a career-best 3.50 ERA (3.01 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 24 walks and a career-high 186 strikeouts in 177 2/3 innings over his 31 starts. The 29-year-old will be a two-start pitcher for the opening week of the season, although his matchup against Toronto on Opening Day is one to fade him in for DFS purposes. Although it would be unwise for fantasy managers to expect Eflin to be a top-10 pitcher in back-to-back seasons, he profiles as a solid No. 2 fantasy starter in his second year in Tampa.

With lefty Shane McClanahan (elbow) sidelined by his second Tommy John surgery and with righty Tyler Glasnow now pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, right-hander Zach Eflin is set to headline the Tampa Bay Rays' starting rotation in 2024. Eflin had a career year in 2023 in his first year in Tampa, producing a career-best 3.50 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 177 2/3 innings over 31 starts, all career-high marks. The 29-year-old's passion for pitching, vast arsenal and pinpoint command make him an attractive low-end No. 2 starter for fantasy managers heading into his second year with the Rays as their staff ace. Eflin's success in 2023 came from using his cutter more while also adding a sweeper. It also helped that he stayed healthy. While Eflin probably isn't going to finish as a top-10 fantasy starter again in 2024, it's clear he's pretty valuable.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin will start Game 2 of the Wild Card series against the Texas Rangers on Thursday. Eflin will follow Tyler Glasnow, who will start Game 1 Tuesday. Eflin has been excellent in his first year with the Rays, pitching to career-lows with a 3.50 ERA and 1.02 WHIP while striking out a career-high 186 batters in 177 IP. The Rangers haven't said who they will be starting yet, but Eflin should have an advantage no matter who he's up against in Game 2.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zach Eflin will look to stay hot Tuesday night as he takes on the rival Boston Red Sox at home. Eflin is coming off 6 1/3 shutout frames with just four hits and zero walks surrendered against four strikeouts in Miami against the Marlins his last time out. The right-hander has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts and one earned run or less in four of those six outings. The lengthy stretch of excellent work has lowered Eflin's season-long ERA to 3.40 while his 3.07 FIP, 3.38 SIERA, 22.1% K-BB%, and a career-best 51.3% ground-ball rate all suggest he should continue to see success moving forward.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (knee) will make his next scheduled start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees. Eflin tossed a bullpen on Saturday and evidently, the organization feels like it went well enough that he can pitch Tuesday. The righty struggled in his last start, allowing five runs in four innings, before being pulled with knee discomfort. Still, if he is healthy, Eflin has shown he can be a must-start pitcher in fantasy and he should be activated for his start Tuesday in all leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (knee) tossed a bullpen session on Saturday. The 29-year-old saw his most recent start on Wednesday cut short with left knee discomfort, giving up five runs in four innings in that one. While Eflin is "doing better" than he was on Thursday, he's not yet been confirmed for his scheduled start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees. Fantasy managers will have to wait on another update prior to Tuesday's game. The right-hander has been one of fantasy's biggest 2023 surprises, currently standing atop the American League in wins (11) adjacent to Shane McClanahan and Nathan Eovaldi.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (knee) said his left knee feels "10 times better" than it did on Thursday, a day after he was forced to leave his outing early against the Miami Marlins with left-knee discomfort. Playing catch on Friday went "better than expected," and he's "really optimistic" about continued improvement. However, it's too soon to know yet if he'll be able to make his next start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees, so fantasy managers should continue to consider him day-to-day. The good news is that Eflin won't need a trip to the injured list after an MRI ruled out any structural damage. The 29-year-old has been solid this year with an 11-6 record, 3.64 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 116 1/3 innings over his 20 starts.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said it's still "day-to-day" with right-hander Zach Eflin (knee) as to whether he will make his next start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees. Eflin was forced to leave his last outing early on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins with left-knee irritation, but his MRI exam thankfully didn't show any structural damage. The 29-year-old will be much more risky if he does make his start next week against a Yankees team that is getting All-Star slugger Aaron Judge back this weekend. Eflin has been pretty solid for Tampa and fantasy managers in 2023, winning a league-high 11 games while posting a 3.64 ERA (3.01 FIP), 1.02 WHIP, just 17 walks and 116 strikeouts in 116 1/3 innings over 20 starts.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (knee) received good news after his MRI exam on Wednesday didn't show anything of major concern on his left knee. It's possible that he could just need rest and treatment by the athletic training staff to get back on the mound, possibly as early as next Tuesday on the road against the New York Yankees. The 29-year-old left his start early on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins with left-knee pain, prompting the team to send him for an MRI. Eflin will be a bit more risky if he's able to make his next start next week against a Yankees team that is getting Aaron Judge (toe) back from the injured list this weekend. Eflin has a league-leading 11 wins in 2023 and has been solid with a 3.64 ERA (3.01 FIP), 1.02 WHIP and 116 K's in 116 1/3 frames over his 20 starts in his first year in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zach Eflin departed Wednesday's contest against the Miami Marlins early with discomfort in his left knee. It was already a tough afternoon for the right-hander as the Marlins tagged Eflin for five earned runs on seven hits and a walk before he left the contest after completing four innings. Despite the tough afternoon, it's been a productive season for the 29-year-old, his first with the Rays. Eflin entered Wednesday's contest sporting a 3.36 ERA and 3.33 SIERA across 19 starts while only Seattle's George Kirby sports a superior walk rate to Eflin's 3.6% BB%. An update on the veteran's status should be available following the game.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin beat the Toronto Blue Jays for his seventh win Thursday afternoon. Teammate Shane McClanahan is the only pitcher in the American League with more wins this season. Eflin completed seven innings while allowing one earned run, six hits and two walks. He managed to lower his ERA on the season to 3.17 despite failing to register a strikeout for the first time this season. It was the third time in his last five starts that Eflin went seven innings. He's completed at least six innings in six of his nine starts this year and has gone at least five innings in every start. Eflin is currently scheduled to face the Chicago Cubs on the road in his next start.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin fell to 4-1 in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Orioles. Eflin pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits (including a two-run home run) and a walk with four strikeouts. Despite the loss, the 29-year-old has had a surprisingly strong start to the season with his new team, compiling a 2.91 ERA, 9.26 K/9 rate, and 1.06 BB/9 rate in six starts. His next start should be on the road at the Yankees. Given the variability of pitching to this point, fantasy managers should feel relatively comfortable starting Eflin routinely based on his hot start.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin was fantastic on Thursday, going seven strong innings and picking up the win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Eflin allowed just three hits and struck out 10 while walking none. Digging a little deeper, Eflin earned his excellence in this one, as he had a decent 33% CSW and allowed very weak contact, with an average exit velocity of 84.7 mph. This start lowers his ERA to 2.25 and his WHIP to 0.96, and he now has a 5-0 record. The Rays have been known to "fix" pitchers, and given what they paid Eflin this offseason, they obviously see something in him. If he's still out there in your league, go grab him while you can.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (back) was activated from the 15-day injured list and will start on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox. The 29-year-old right-hander landed on the IL earlier in April with lower back tightness but he's good to go now. He owns a 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 12:1 K/BB ratio over 11 innings (two starts) to start the season. He's worth a stream if he was dropped in any mixed fantasy leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (back) threw a bullpen session on Monday, and according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, he "looked and felt great." Manager Kevin Cash stated that the right-hander will probably start Sunday's contest against the Chicago White Sox, assuming there are no setbacks. Before he was placed on the injured list, Eflin made two starts and looked impressive, posting a 3.27 ERA with a 26.7% strikeout rate and a minuscule 2.2% walk rate. If he can come back and continue showing that kind of dominance, he'll be a four-category contributor for fantasy owners.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (back) is going on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with lower back tightness. Pitching prospect Taj Bradley is being recalled from the minors in a corresponding move, and he'll make his MLB debut on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox. Eflin is off to a good start in two outings for the Rays this year, allowing just four runs on 12 hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out 12 in 11 innings over two starts. Bradley is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and had allowed four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out eight in seven innings over his first two starts for Triple-A Durham. The 22-year-old hasn't gone deep in his two minor-league starts this year and probably won't be a very good streaming choice for fantasy managers this week, but his long-term upside is very high.