Halladay experienced shoulder spasms on Friday
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro feels comfortable about his team’s starting rotation heading into 2013, he told MLB.com. The rotation looks to include left-handers Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, right-hander Vance Worley (who underwent season-ending elbow surgery earlier in September and expects to be ready for spring training) and Roy Halladay.
The 35-year-old Halladay, who experienced shoulder spasms on Friday and then struggled on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves (serving up seven earned runs and five hits in 1.2 innings), was examined by doctors on Sunday and could pitch against the Washington Nationals on Thursday.
Allowing Halladay to make another start is risky for the Phillies, considering that his shoulder issues could return. The right-hander is 10-8 with a 4.40 ERA in 24 starts, his fewest since making 19 for Toronto in 2005. The 4.40 ERA is his highest since a 10.64 mark with the Blue Jays in 2000. The 151.1 innings is the first time he will not eclipse 200 since 2005, when he was limited to 141.2.
The Phillies are five games behind St. Louis for the second wild card spot in the National League with nine games remaining, so the postseason is unlikely. Considering that a healthy Lee, Hamels, Halladay and Worley give the Phillies one of the game’s deepest rotations, exercising caution and shutting down Halladay makes more sense than sending him to the mound for meaningless innings.
