Hamels fans six in six sharp frames in rehab start

PHILADELPHIA -- The best news of the day for the Phillies came out of Florida, as Cole Hamels allowed just one run on five hits over six innings in a rehab start with the Class A Clearwater Threshers against Lakeland on Saturday night. Hamels struck out six without a walk in his fourth outing of the spring.

Hamels, who hopes to get his pitch count up to 90 in his next -- and hopefully last -- rehab start, battled tendinitis this past offseason, which put him behind his usual workout schedule. Shoulder soreness at the start of Spring Training forced him to shut down and begin anew at the start of March.

After his previous start, in which he allowed two runs on three hits and struck out four in four innings, Hamels indicated he felt two more starts would get him back to Philadelphia. All indications are Hamels is on track to do just that, which puts his return to the rotation on April 22 at the earliest. This couldn't come at a better time, as A.J. Burnett is battling a sore groin that flared up on Friday night. Burnett was evaluated on Saturday, and the Phillies are weighing their options with the veteran right-handed starter.