Some good news tonight, in light of what could be much worse. Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee cleaned out his locker to leave the team for the rest of the season today. But as he heads off to heal, the news is not all that bad.
Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports:
Lee today visited orthopedist David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He confirmed the Phillies’ diagnosis of Lee’s injury, which said no surgery is required. Following Altchek’s examination, Lee returned to Philadelphia to visit the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia for a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in the elbow.
“We hope to get him into a throwing program in October or November,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a telephone call late Wednesday night. “But right now he needs to rest.”
As we mentioned before, if it was the simple strain, rest is all that can cure it. Had the examination found a tear in the UCL, well, then Lee would be headed to "Tommy John" surgery.
Lee re-strained his elbow on Thursday evening, just hours after the non-waiver trade deadline passed. A strong candidate to be moved in a trade, the Phillies likely will open 2015 with Lee in their starting rotation.
