"I got the approval from my wife—do it for the boys" - Rays pitcher Zach Eflin reveals story behind his fuzzy new look

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zach Eflin is known for his time with the Phillies, having played for the team for seven seasons. Since 2023, though, the Orlando native has been back in his home state, sporting the colors of the Rays.

This season, the Rays starter sports a 2-4 record with a 3.75 ERA. He has, however, struggled in his previous starts before tweaking something with his looks.

Eflin primarily struggled in his road starts against the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers on April 26 and May 1, respectively. The righty took losses in both games after giving up four and three earned runs against the respective teams. This warranted a makeover change for Eflin, who first asked permission from his wife.

"I got the approval from my wife. She said 'you gotta do it for the boys.' She is not very fond of it, She never likes the mustache so to get her permission was awesome." -Eflin via @BallyRays

In the game against the White Sox on May 8, it was visibly seen that the Rays starter was spotted shaving all of his facial hair except for his mustache.

The pitcher revealed that he first asked for his spouse's blessing and in return, she responded that Eflin should make the change for their children. It can be recalled that Eflin sported a similar look during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with Philadelphia.

The makeover proved to be effective as the hurler tossed seven innings of one-run ball while giving up just six hits on the way to the win column.

Rays hanging in the AL East

The American League East proves to be the toughest division in all of the majors. 2024 doesn't make it any different. While the AL Central has been garnering some reputation for having four teams above the .500 winning percentage mark, the AL East can also boast that it's four teams that have at least a.500 winning percentage.

Smack dab in the middle of it is the Tampa Bay Rays. The team currently sports a 19-19 record and is fourth in the division, just a half-game behind the Red Sox.

Heading into the season, the team wasn't expecting to be in the mix given how competitive their division is. Time and again, however, the Rays have proved everyone wrong, as the organization has made multiple postseason appearances in the past decade, including a memorable run to the World Series during the 2020 season.