The following press release comes from the Philadelphia Phillies and MLB and discusses the status of star pitcher Cliff Lee, as the team once again shuts down his throwing routine, and he will miss the start of the MLB season.
Phillies Statement on Cliff Lee
The Philadelphia Phillies have placed Cliff Lee on the 60-day disabled list with a left forearm strain. This is the same injury that disabled Cliff twice in 2014. Cliff has now attempted to twice rehabilitate this injury without having surgery. While surgery has now been recommended, it would effectively put an end to his 2015 season as the rehabilitation from the surgery would run through the end of the season.
As a result, The Phillies and Cliff have mutually decided to try once again to rehabilitate the injury non-operatively, with the hope that Cliff might be able to return to pitch during the 2015 season. Cliff will immediately be shut down from throwing. He will be sent home to rest and will be set up with a rehabilitation program to maintain his overall conditioning. He will be brought to Philadelphia periodically to be evaluated to determine a time at which he might be able to begin a throwing program again.
“It’s tough to stay positive about it but it kind of is what it is,” Lee said. “There’s nothing I can do. To me, it came down to either have the surgery, or don’t. I’m going to give it a chance. The doctor wanted me to have the surgery and recommended it, but I can still do that two to three months from now if I’m not able to pitch.”
“This may give him the chance, albeit it’s not the greatest odds I guess, it still gives us the opportunity to have him on the field for us at some point this year,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.
PHILADELPHIA – JULY 21: Starter Cliff Lee #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the second inning during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park on July 21, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
