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Philadelphia Phillies: Predicting the 2020 rotation

By Ben Fadden

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 09: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the top of the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on September 9, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 09: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the top of the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on September 9, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Zach Eflin. 4. player. 6. . .

The 25-year-old righty is going to be in the rotation in 2020 and it probably will be in the four spot. Eflin has been a little more consistent than Velasquez and Pivetta while pitching over 163 innings in 2019.

A positive note for Philadelphia Phillies fans is that Eflin had the lowest ERA of his career, and it has gotten lower and lower every season. He has brought it down almost two full points while pitching in more games as the years go by as well.

I think Eflin should have a great year because he will not have to worry about producing at a high level every stat because the rotation is deeper at the top.

. . Jake Arrieta. 3. player. 6.

Jake Arrieta carried the Chicago Cubs starting rotation all the way through the 2016 postseason and eventually would win the World Series, but he has not been that same type of pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies.

He was not terrible in 2018 as he had a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts but in my opinion, it just didn’t seem like he was the same guy that he was a year earlier and throughout his tenure with the Cubs.

Last year he made seven less starts but his ERA was over 4.6 in almost 40 less innings.

The one worry for Phillies fans going into 2020 is if he will be able to bounce back from an arm injury. His season was cut short due to a nagging injury that involved a bone spur in his elbow.

The Phillies will certainly want him to bounce back because they will be paying him $20 million in 2020 and another $20 million in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons (club contract options).

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