LOS ANGELES - For more than a decade, Zach Eflin's knees have hurt. The 22-year-old pitcher learned to manage the pain with hot-and-cold contrasts, hip stretches, core exercises - anything to relieve the tension on his knees. It worked until Tuesday, when he woke up after allowing seven runs in three innings, and the pain was too great.
The patellar tendinitis in the rookie righthander's knees forced him to the disabled list, and there is little known beyond that. The Phillies are not sure whether Eflin will pitch again this season. When the team returns home Thursday, doctors will perform some studies on his knees.