After the World Series, Zach Eflin opted out of his half of a $15 million mutual option, and it worked out for him:

First thought? That’s a LOT of money for a guy with spotty injury history. Second thought? That’s not your typical Tampa Bay type of move. Eflin is now the highest-paid player on the team:

It’s funny, but not surprising. Guys like Manuel Margot and Brandon Lowe are making less than seven million a year. Even in 2022, Corey Kluber was the only guy they had making eight figures. This signals a shift in philosophy from the Rays, who were historically on the low end of MLB spending, usually landing somewhere in the mid-20s for team spending.

Eflin is a good dude though, one of the longest-tenured guys on the team. He had been through a lot of shit. A lot of losing, a lot of injuries. For him to get healthy and contribute as a reliever this past season? That was nice to see. Guy deserves the money, and he gets to play close to home now.