Zach Eflin spent six weeks last year with his right leg immobilized in a bulky brace that ran from his thigh to his ankle. The Phillies pitcher finished his rookie season on crutches. He then had surgery on his left knee and wore a brace on his left leg for six more weeks. Eflin finally shed that leg brace just before Christmas.
He had felt discomfort in his knees while he pitched for as long as he could remember. The pair of knee surgeries, he hoped, would alleviate it. And it was afternoons like Sunday, when Eflin pitched seven strong innings in a 5-2 win over Atlanta, that made those braces worth it.