Halladay Out 6-8 Weeks with Lat Strain

Doc hits the DL. (AP)

The man, unfortunately, is human.

Roy Halladay is not a robot as we once thought. The Phillies announced that the right-hander will hit the disabled list with a Grade 1/2 strain of his latissimus dorsi; he’ll miss 6-8 weeks. Erik Kratz was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley as the immediate corresponding move.

Who knows what caused the issue, however, at this point surgery is not needed, which is great news. The bad (awful, terrible) news is that the Phillies will miss their workhorse for an extended period. Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee will have to pick up the slack, and that Kyle Kendrick we saw in St. Louis will have to become the norm.

Injuries are common for pitchers, but not this one. Halladay has started 31 games or more in each of the last six seasons.

This season, Halladay clearly was not himself, as he basically willed his way to a 4-5 record with a 3.96 ERA. Can the Phillies stay in the hunt and get a healthy Halladay back in early August? We shall see. But for now, this is a crushing blow in what’s turning out to be a rocky season for the Phillies.

Pat Gallen

Pat joined Phillies Nation in July 2009, coming over from Examiner.com. As a previous employee of both Comcast SportsNet and the National Basketball Association, Pat prides himself on being a well-rounded individual when it comes to sports. However, the Phillies are first on the list. You’ll usually find Pat chiming in on the Phillies Nation Facebook or Twitter account, weekdays on 97.3 ESPN radio or hosting Phillies Nation TV. He’s also a Senior Writer for the site, and in his free time is a music enthusiast and Will Ferrell movie-follower. His favorite beer: Philly’s own Yards. In 2015, Pat moved on from Phillies Nation as a sports anchor and reporter for CBS-3 in Philadelphia.