The Phillies have placed 32-year old righty reliever Danys Baez on the 15-day disabled list with back spasms. Baez has pitched in 45 games (0 starts) for the Phillies this year and he is 3-3 with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. He has given up 49 hits while walking 21 batters in only 42 innings this year so Baez has been a mess. The Phillies have recalled 24-year old lefty reliever Antonio Bastardo to replace Baez in the bullpen. Bastardo has pitched in 17 games (0 starts) for the Phillies already this year and he is 0-0 with a 5.54 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.

33-year old righty starting pitcher Roy Halladay has pitched just like the Phillies thought he would this year. Halladay has started 27 games for the Phillies this year and he is 16-9 with a 2.22 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. He has given up 187 hits in 207 innings pitched this year and he has only walked 25 batters so you better be ready to swing when he’s on the mound. The most important thing for the Phillies’ pitching staff as a whole is that Halladay is a workhorse which saves the bullpen every fifth day. He has completed 8 games this season including three shutouts. He has been the best pitcher in the National League this season but he might not win the Cy Young Award due to a lack of run support which is one thing I never thought I would say this year because of the Phillies’ offense.

The Phillies have signed 32-year old lefty starting pitcher Nate Robertson to a minor league deal. He pitched in 19 games (18 starts) earlier this season for the Marlins and he was 6-8 with a 5.47 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Robertson has now pitched in 221 games (187 starts) in his 9 years in the majors and he is 57-77 with 1 save, a 4.97 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. It never hurts to bring in a guy like Robertson to help the team in September.

The Phillies have activated starting 1B Ryan Howard off the disabled list. He has played in 106 games for the Phillies this year and he is 121 of 415 (.292 avg, .877 OPS) with 65 runs scored, 23 homers and 82 RBIs. The Phillies have placed 34-year old 1B/OF Ross Gload on the D.L. with a groin injury. Gload has played in 77 games for the Phillies this year and he is 31 of 111 (.279 avg, .820 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 6 homers, 21 RBIs and 1 stolen base. While the Phillies will miss Gload’s production off the bench they will likely start to move up the standings with all of the starting lineup healthy and ready to rock

Righty starting pitcher Roy Oswalt has been very solid for the Phillies. In four starts for the Phillies, Oswalt is 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Phillies are built to go a long way in the post season with Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt at the top of the starting rotation. 1B Mike Sweeney has played in 10 games for the Phillies so far and he is 7 of 26 (.269 avg, .614 OPS) with 6 runs scored and 1 RBI. While Sweeney has lacked power so far he is getting some key hits for the Phillies.