The Phillies starting rotation has been a merry-go-round this year. Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang have been the constant names all season with Sean O'Sullivan etching himself into that mix. Jerome Williams had been in the rotation until injuring his hamstring, but the Phillies have used 11 starters this season, including former Dodger Chad Billingsley.
Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon surgery had kept Billingsley out over the last two seasons and it all came full circle when he made his Phillies debut on May 5th against the Braves. His first two starts weren't that prettty, allowing 10 earned runs in 10 innings of work. His final start before straining his right lat was his best. In the Phillies 4-3 win over the D'Backs on May 15th, the 30-year-old right-hander and former first round pick tossed six innings of two run ball.
Now in his second stint of rehab with the Ironpigs, Billingsley has seen mixed results. His first outing on the comeback trail this time around was on June 15th. He threw 46 pitches, starting the resumption of a suspended game. In three innings he allowed an unearned run and scattered three hits.
His most recent outing against the Yankees Triple-A squad only lasted 2 2/3 innings. Billingsley gave up seven runs, five earned, on seven hits. He walked two and struck out three. He was supposed to throw 80-85 pitches, but after throwing just 46 in his previous outing, Billingsley was pulled after just 64 pitches. Despite the outcome of the game, Billingsley was optimistic in his performance when he spoke to Jeff Schuler of The Morning Call.
"I felt good," said Billingsley, who also walked two and hit two while throwing 44 of 64 pitches for strikes. "I actually felt a little bit better and more comfortable than I did the last time, but the results just weren't there."
Billingsley focused on his curve ball, his strikeout pitch, and after struggling with it earlier in the week was about to throw it for strikes Sunday and "bury it when needed.
"Not quite there, but my rhythm, my tempo keeps getting better, which is good," Billingsley said. "I felt like I had command … I was getting ahead of guys [but] just wasn't able to put them away, I guess."
Billingsley's next start will be on Friday against Louisville, when Iropnigs manager Dave Brundage and the Phillies organization hope for him to throw between 80-85 pitches. If the results are better, he could rejoin the Phillies at some point in early July.
In three starts with the Phillies this season, Billingsley is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA.
Brandon Apter, Publishing Editor for Philliedelphia.com
