Tweet
The Phillies beleaguered rotation got some good news: ace Cole Hamels said his throwing elbow felt "normal" after playing catch with pitching coach Rich Dubee from 80 feet on Saturday afternoon.
The All-Star left-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a strained elbow, a major blow for a team in the hunt for an NL East title and the wild card.
"We played catch for 10 minutes," Hamels said. "It's all good. When I get out on the mound, that's when they're really going to monitor it."
The next test for Hamels will come Tuesday when he plans to throw off the mound. If all goes well, he'll toss off the bump Thursday.
Barring any setbacks, Hamels hopes to return to the mound on Sept. 3 against the Braves.
The 23-year-old Hamels has thrown 167 1/3 innings this season, the most he's pitched in one year during his professional career.
A first-round pick in 2002, Hamels went 9-8 with a 4.08 ERA in 23 starts as a rookie last season. He missed two weeks with a strained shoulder and was outstanding down the stretch, going 6-3 with a 2.60 ERA in his last 11 starts.
The Phillies went to spring training with six quality starting pitchers. Only 44-year-old Jamie Moyer hasn't spent time on the DL and remains in the rotation. Brett Myers, the Opening Day starter, was moved to the bullpen in April, missed two months with a shoulder injury and now is the closer.
Freddy Garcia, acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, was 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 11 starts before he went down with a shoulder injury that could keep him out the rest of the year.
Jon Lieber was 3-6 in 12 starts before a foot injury ended his season in June. Adam Eaton, who signed a $24.5 million, three-year contract in the offseason, is out with a shoulder problem. When healthy, Eaton wasn't effective. He's 9-8 with a 6.36 ERA.
Former closer Tom Gordon missed two months with a shoulder injury, and Ryan Madson, perhaps the team's most consistent reliever, is sidelined with a strained shoulder.
Of the 25 players on the Opening Day roster, only nine haven't gone on the DL.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The All-Star left-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a strained elbow, a major blow for a team in the hunt for an NL East title and the wild card.
"We played catch for 10 minutes," Hamels said. "It's all good. When I get out on the mound, that's when they're really going to monitor it."
The next test for Hamels will come Tuesday when he plans to throw off the mound. If all goes well, he'll toss off the bump Thursday.
Barring any setbacks, Hamels hopes to return to the mound on Sept. 3 against the Braves.
The 23-year-old Hamels has thrown 167 1/3 innings this season, the most he's pitched in one year during his professional career.
A first-round pick in 2002, Hamels went 9-8 with a 4.08 ERA in 23 starts as a rookie last season. He missed two weeks with a strained shoulder and was outstanding down the stretch, going 6-3 with a 2.60 ERA in his last 11 starts.
The Phillies went to spring training with six quality starting pitchers. Only 44-year-old Jamie Moyer hasn't spent time on the DL and remains in the rotation. Brett Myers, the Opening Day starter, was moved to the bullpen in April, missed two months with a shoulder injury and now is the closer.
Freddy Garcia, acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, was 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 11 starts before he went down with a shoulder injury that could keep him out the rest of the year.
Jon Lieber was 3-6 in 12 starts before a foot injury ended his season in June. Adam Eaton, who signed a $24.5 million, three-year contract in the offseason, is out with a shoulder problem. When healthy, Eaton wasn't effective. He's 9-8 with a 6.36 ERA.
Former closer Tom Gordon missed two months with a shoulder injury, and Ryan Madson, perhaps the team's most consistent reliever, is sidelined with a strained shoulder.
Of the 25 players on the Opening Day roster, only nine haven't gone on the DL.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Comment