PHILADELPHIA -- Reliever Tommy Hunter missed his Phillies teammates, so he traded Clearwater, Fla., for Philadelphia for a few days.

He hopes to be back in Philly permanently.

But when? A strained right forearm has kept him on the injured list since the beginning of the season. And after he suffered a setback in March, he received a platelet-rich plasma injection on April 2. Hunter said Saturday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park that he hopes to begin light throwing Wednesday. There is no timetable for his return, but because he is on the 60-day injured list, he is not eligible to rejoin the team until May 27 at the earliest.

“It just sucks how long it has taken,” Hunter said.

Hunter, 32, went 5-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 65 appearances last season. He could have helped the Phillies weather the storm this month as right-handers David Robertson and Vìctor Arano suffered injuries. Alas, he watched everything unfold from Florida.

“Hopefully I come back like Hercules and do something special,” he said.

Hunter has been in the big leagues 11 seasons. He has been on the injured list eight times. This, however, is his first arm injury. But he feels good about his prognosis. He recently visited orthopedist James Andrews, who concurred with what Phillies doctors have said.

“I have no idea what to expect or what to do,” Hunter said about his recovery. “I have goals, but then again when you do that … their whole idea is treating the symptoms. Obviously, the other way didn’t work of setting a goal and a date and stuff. If I feel good, then we keep going.”