Roy Halladay has made just two minor league rehab starts since recovering from surgery on a torn labrum. The Phillies plan was to have him make four or five minor league starts before brining him back to the big leagues, but after an 18-inning marathon with Diamondbacks, the Phillies have activated Halladay from the 60 day disabled list and he made the emergency start.
Halladay didn’t have his best stuff, as his fastball averaged 87 MPH, however he showed the tenacity and guile that have gotten him through many starts without his best stuff over his great major league career. Going 6 innings, and throwing 94 pitches, Halladay gave up just two runs, both earned, on four hits and two walks.
“More than anything, I feel like I’m getting back to who I was,” Halladay said. “You always change over your career. Just from talking to the doctors, the velocity is going to be the last thing to come. I may pick up a little bit as the season goes on. But once you get that full rest in the winter is when it really starts coming back.”
Before his shoulder surgery, Halladay struggled with an 8.65 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in his first seven starts this season.
The next five weeks will be important for Halladay as Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has announced that the team will not be picking up a $20 million team option on his contract for 2014. The 36-year-old with two Cy Young Awards in his back pocket is playing for next year’s contract.
“I’m not worried about it at this point,” Halladay said. “I can’t worry about the future. There’s nothing I can do other than go out and pitch game to game. That’s what I’m going to try and do: get better each time I go out there.”
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