Halladay is a go for Tuesday in LA
DENVER – Roy Halladay has received clearance to come off the disabled list and start for the Phillies on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
“I feel comfortable that he’s ready,” pitching coach Rich Dubee said after watching Halladay throw in the bullpen at Coors Field on Saturday afternoon.
Halladay said he felt good after long toss and a 28-pitch bullpen session in which he worked a lot on his cutter and throwing from a stretch.
Halladay has been on the DL since May 28 with what was officially called a strained lat muscle behind his right shoulder. He revealed Friday that he also had been plagued by shoulder stiffness and that doctors had seen some “changes” in his rotator cuff. Halladay has spent the last seven weeks on a shoulder stretching and strengthening program and he says he is throwing the ball more freely and easily now. He hopes that translates into results on Tuesday night and so do the Phillies, who are a majors-worst 12-27 since he went on the DL.
Halladay pitched just one minor-league rehab game, Thursday in Clearwater. He allowed three hits and an unearned run while striking out four and walking none in three innings of work. He threw 61 pitches and nine more in the bullpen after his outing to get to 70. He could make the jump to 80 or so on Tuesday night.
“There was rustiness and inconsistency there [on Thursday],” Dubee said. “But arm-wise and working-wise, he’s feeling a lot better than he has in a long time.”
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com
