Roy Halladay hasn’t been himself in the month of May (5.40 ERA before Sunday’s start) and it might have something to do with the sore shoulder that forced the Phillies to pinch hit for their ace in the bottom half of the second inning of Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Halladay had given up a grand slam in the top of the first inning to Yadier Molina, but managed to work a perfect second inning. He wouldn’t make it out for a third inning, however, as he was pinch hit for when his spot came up in the batting order in the home half.
Halladay’s soreness apparently began in his last outing (L – 6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER vs. Washington) and carried over into Sunday’s start. The Phillies insist that pulling him was merely a precautionary move and that there is no plan to have him undergo an MRI. Halladay will be examined on Tuesday before any decisions are made about his next start.
Halladay is finally showing signs that he is human, or just a 35-year-old who has thrown a whole lot of innings in his career. Due to his outing being cut short on Sunday, Halladay’s season ERA is now up over 4.00, which is the first time that has happened since Bryce Harper was a sixth grader, because Bryce Harper is the barometer for everything these days.
