By: Brandon Apter, contributor
Just two pitches into Wednesday's Phillies game, young hurler Vince Velasquez exited the game with a strained bicep. He felt something in warmups and mentioned it to the team, but his fastball velocity was down 4-6 mph in his only two pitches. Just a couple of hours after that, it became known that Phillies prospect Zach Eflin will not make his start tonight.
Zach Eflin is no longer scheduled to start tonight, according to IronPigs game notes. Severino Gonzalez listed as spot starter. #Phillies
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) June 8, 2016
In a text message between Kevin Cooney of Calkins Media and Joe Jordan, Phillies director of player development, Eflin being scratched wasn't due to injury, but rather just a tweek to his schedule. Apparently Severino Gonzalez was the listed starter on the Ironpigs game notes prior to Velasquez's injury, so a promotion to Philadelphia doesn't seem imminent at this point.
FYI: Gonzalez, not Eflin, was already listed as AAA starter tonight in Phillies' pregame notes aka before VV injury. pic.twitter.com/Ut4vr1ihOV
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) June 8, 2016
Eflin, 22, is 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA in 10 starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season. He has struggled recently though, allowing 10 runs in his last two starts, spanning 10.1 inning. Prior to his last two starts, he allowed only one earned run over three starts, spanning 21 innings. Eflin has allowed one run or less in six of his 10 starts, but has allowed five or more in three of 10. He's gone six or more innings in eight of his 10 starts this season.
The Phillies acquired Eflin along with Tom Windle on December 19, 2014 from the Dodgers in exchange for Jimmy Rollins.