In his first rehab start since hitting the disabled list on May 29, Roy Halladay labored through three innings with the Clearwater Threshers.
Halladay tossed 61 pitches in the three innings, topping out with a fastball of about 91. He gave up one run, coming on an RBI double in the first inning, but settled in to strike out four without walking a batter. His velocity was between 87-91, but we shouldn’t expect it to be in top form instantly. Doc is still attempting to rebuild the strength in his shoulder, sapped by a lat strain.
It is possible that Halladay rejoins the team on their upcoming six game road trip through Colorado and Los Angeles. He would line up to pitch Tuesday on full rest against the Dodgers.
Before hitting the DL, Halladay posted a 4-5 record with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts, numbers we’ve never seen from Halladay. At 35, it’s unlikely we see the uber-dominant Halladay of a few seasons ago; the one that threw a perfect game and a no-hitter in the same season. That said, there’s no doubt that when healthy – something he wasn’t for much of this season – Halladay is still one of the top hurlers in the game.
