Ruben Amaro said today that Ryan Howard will miss 6-8 week as the result of an MRI showed a torn left meniscus for the first baseman. There is no word yet on when the surgery will occur, although it will happen soon. Darin Ruf will get the majority of the reps in Howard’s spot.
Howard had hit well since June 1, putting up a .885 OPS over his last 30 games. However, the pain in his left knee became too much to bear. The Big Piece also complained of pain in his right foot, which he said was not related to his achillies tendon tear or the knee. Amaro could not confirm if any of the injuries were anymore than normal wear and tear to a baseball player at 33 years old.
Amaro was confident Howard would be back on the field at some point this season. Should Ruf prove he belongs, how would that change the future?
Howard is due $85 million over the next three seasons with a buyout included in that total.
Amaro also said that Roy Halladay is progressing, there have been no setbacks during his rehabilitation process. Doc is throwing from 75 feet on flat ground, which will eventually become 120 feet should everything go well. Following that, Doc will begin to throw off a mound.
Pat GallenPat 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.
