Halladay, Howard making progress with rehab
NEW YORK -- The Phillies came out of the All-Star break with several players on the disabled list, and head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan spent Friday briefing the media on their respective conditions.
Sheridan said that first baseman Ryan Howard, who recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, is recovering well. Howard spent the break at Citizens Bank Park working with the team's training staff, and Sheridan said that the team is thrilled with his early range of motion.
Howard will have a follow-up examination with team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti on Tuesday, and they'll begin to plot a path through strengthening exercises and working back to health.
Sheridan also addressed ace Roy Halladay, sidelined since early May with a case of right shoulder inflammation. Halladay threw a flat-ground session on Friday and everything appears to be in working order, but the Phillies want to be careful before they push him back to the mound.
"We're really just judging him day to day right now. I know a lot of people want to know when he's going to be on the mound," said Sheridan. "He's long tossed out to 120 [feet]. The flat-ground session went well today. His exercises are good. We're just kind of seeing how he goes from there. I think we just want to be smart about when we make that progression to the mound."
The news isn't as good for two injured relievers. Jeremy Horst, sidelined since mid-June with a right elbow injury, will need a platelet-rich plasma injection and could be out for the rest of the season. Mike Adams, who has already undergone a PRP injection, might need season-ending surgery.
Adams, who tried to avoid surgery for his right shoulder condition, has not been able to progress. He saw Ciccotti on Thursday and will go for a second opinion before deciding his course of action. Horst, meanwhile, will likely be out for at least six weeks while recovering from his ailment.
Sheridan said that Horst saw noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion on his damaged elbow, and Andrews proposed the same treatment the Phillies had recommended.
"Dr. Andrews reviewed our studies and did some of his own while he was there, and he agreed that it was a flexor pronator issue," said Sheridan. "He felt like a PRP injection would be the next-best course of action for him. Unfortunately, that means he's going to be shut down for another four weeks at least. Maybe up until six weeks before he returns to throwing."