Talk about overpaying.
Yes, Zach Eflin is versatile, he can serve as rotation starter, and a spot starter/long reliever.
Yes, Zach Eflin has a live 28 year old live arm, but live arms don't always translate into success.
I get that Tampa Bay needs to replace Kluber in the rotation, this seems like a panic signing.
Spending 40 million on a career 36-45 pitcher with an ERA 4.49 is ludicrous, the largest free agent in franchise history.
Eflin isn't a dynamic swing and miss pitcher, he's what you call a 'crafty' cutter/curve pitcher that doesn't leave any holes in any hitters bats best served as a middle innings long reliever.
What the hell is Bendix thinking, he's got at least three other holes to fill, and he spends a big chunk of his budget on a middle of the rotation hamburger, and I'm still scratching my head over giving SS Wander Franco that 11 year almost 200 million deal, who has that 'next big thing label' who may or may not work out, Cleveland thought SS Jhonny Peralta was going to be the next big thing too and he turned out to have just an ordinary career.
Now I'm hearing the Texas Rangers are close to signing James Taillon to a 56 million dollar deal.
But that's another story for another day.
This is why most small market teams fail, they overspend their shoestring budgets on run of the mill hamburgers.
Sources:
ESPN, NY Post
Tampa Bay has yet to confirm this as of yesterday.