The Tampa Bay Rays have reportedly made its first free agent splash, but it comes as a boost to the pitching rotation.
Jeff Passan of ESPN was the first to report that the Rays and pitcher Zach Eflin had agreed to a three-year deal worth a reported $40 million.
Right-hander Zach Eflin and the Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a three-year contract, pending physical, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 2, 2022
The deal would be the largest free agent contract in total dollars in franchise history, eclipsing the five-year, $35 million deal given to pitcher Wilson Alvarez before the 1998 season.
Eflin, who was a first-round pick of the San Diego Padres in 2012, has played his entire big-league career with the Philadelphia Phillies, and went 3-5 with a save and a 4.04 earned run average in 20 appearances, including 13 starts in 2022. In seven seasons with Philadelphia, he amassed a record of 36-45 with a 4.49 ERA.
The team will need to make a roster move before announcing the deal.