Zach Eflin of the Phillies is back on the mound Tuesday night, after beating the Yankees his last time out. Sharps (professional wagerers) are watching Eflin very closely. The promising 24-year-old is showing several indicators for betting value.

First, check out this big leap forward in performance in 2018:

Year    IP        Ks     HRs
2016    63.1     31     12
2017    64.1     35     16
2018    56.2    57     4

Even at 6-foot-6, Eflin was in over his head at the major league level at ages 22 and 23 … in seasons when hitters were being greatly helped by a temporary change in baseball construction that caused fly balls to soar farther. Eflin wasn’t missing bats. Batters making contact were hitting a home run every 4.5 innings.

This season, with studies showing baseball construction (core and stitching) back to prior standards, a matured Eflin is pitching with much more confidence. Only one home run allowed every 14.2 innings so far.

Most important to sharps, that big improvement in strikeouts! Pro bettors prefer investing in pitchers who have the greatest control of their own destiny. Eflin is up to 9.05 K’s per nine innings this season, from 4.41 and 4.90 his first two seasons. He’s nowhere near the sport’s elites who are at 11.0 (or more) per nine innings. But he’s clearly doing a much better job of sending hitters back to the dugout in shame.

Also impressive, his poise in important games. Eflin is in a five-game stretch in which he’s posted a 1.76 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP, with 28 strikeouts, six walks and no homers allowed. The opponents in those five Phillies’ victories? The Yankees, Nationals, Brewers, Brewers again and the Cubs. All playoff contenders. One of whom enjoyed a second look within a matter of days and still couldn’t get to him.

Nobody’s suggesting he’ll sustain those extremely low 1.76 ERA and 0.98 WHIP marks moving forward. (Will the regression start tonight versus Baltimore?) But, if he continues performing better than market expectations, astute bettors will be positioned to profit.