Cliff Lee is likely to appear in the season next week as he recovers - MLB Update
A left oblique muscle strain resulting after throwing ten scoreless innings for the Philadelphia Phillies, a game which however had resulted in their loss, is pacifying faster for Cliff Lee. He threw a single inning bullpen session on Wednesday and found
nothing in his arms that can hamper his flow on the mound.
Therefore, he considers himself all set to return for resuming his position as a starter in the season.
An immediate reactions to Lee’s injury reeked of a pessimism about his return anytime soon in the season. It had resulted in the Phillies’ bringing Kyle Kendrick as a replacement then.
Far from proving a reliable replacement, Kendrick suffered a 6.59 ERA so far, with an unimpressive 1.83 WHIP.
With another bullpen session on Thursday, Lee will have another opportunity to see where his arm stands and if it can help him sustain enough in the season.
Along with Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay, he is an important component of the Phillies’ rotation. Only area the Phillies find themselves at par with other teams in their Division is competent pitchers they possess.
Their offence, on the other hand, has been among the weakest especially with an absence of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in the line-up.
Lee has to become an important link, if the Phillies are to experience another great season ahead. Over the last few years, the Phillies have dominated in their Division. Thus they face an uphill task ahead to contest for their pride this year.
As Lee states that he is experiencing big jumps in recovery, he can be back shortly. Only he says occasional in-roads of little pain apart, he is well on his way.
“It’s slowly gotten better, but the last two days have been drastically better,” he said. “There are a couple of exercises where I barely feel it, but nothing when I throw. It’s pretty safe to say it’s done.”
The point about which the Phillies will be most concerned is that if Lee can be as effective as he was before the injury.
There can be every possibility that pockets of pain creep in again in his arms and affect his control. Regardless of this, Lee appears to be on-course to resume his fantastic start of the season he has thus far.
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