Cole Hamels returns to the mound for the first time in 17 days on Monday night as the Phillies open a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Hamels was activated from the disabled list Monday morning. Pete Orr was sent to Triple A Lehigh Valley.
Hamels has not started since Aug. 12 when he had trouble getting his fastball over 90 mph in a 4-2 loss to Washington. The lefthander was treated for tightness and fatigue in his left shoulder shortly after that start and he eventually ended up on the disabled list. Fears of an injury were first eased by a clean MRI and later on Tuesday when Hamels had a bullpen workout that pitching coach Rich Dubee called absolutely fantastic.
You could make a case that this is the most important start that any Phillies pitcher has made this season.
A pitcher can throw all the bullpen sessions he wants, but the only way to truly test the health of an arm is to get on the mound and face big-league hitters in game competition. Yes, the Phillies have Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, but Hamels is equally as crucial to the teams success in the coming weeks and postseason, and everyone associated with the ballclub -- from the front office to the fans -- will feel a lot better if he comes out of this game feeling strong and healthy.
Hamels (13-7, 2.62) will face Reds righthander Homer Bailey (7-5, 4.44).
Good health is also important to Hamels on a personal level. He is in the final season of a three-year, 20.5 million contract and is eligible for salary arbitration next season. He will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season. One of the teams off-season priorities this winter will likely be to lock Hamels up with a long-term contract that will keep him off the free-agent market. But that plan is obviously contingent on Hamels proving he is healthy.
MLB
It all starts Monday night.
Entering Sundays schedule of games, Hamels ranked sixth in the National League in ERA. Halladay (2.56) and Lee (2.71) ranked fifth and seventh, respectively. Hamels had allowed just 0.988 walks and hits per innings (WHIP), the best mark in the league.
The Phillies couldnt have picked a better place for Hamels to re-join the rotation. He loves pitching at Great American Ball Park. He is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in four career starts in the stadium on the banks of the Ohio River. In October, he pitched one of the best games of his life in the park, shutting out the Reds on five hits in a no-walk, nine-strikeout gem to sew up the NL Division Series.
Halladay (15-5, 2.56) opposes Bronson Arroyo (8-10, 5.02) in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. Lee (14-7, 2.71) faces Dontrelle Willis (0-3, 4.10) on Wednesday night. Vance Worley (9-1, 2.65) and Mike Leake (11-8, 4.04) close out the series on Thursday afternoon.
After Cincinnati, the Phils play three games at Florida before returning home for three against Atlanta.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com