34 Roy Halladay, SP

Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay has been pretty confident that he can return this season, but team doctor Michael Ciccotti told reporters it is not out of the realm of possibility that Halladay could end up missing the rest of the season.

"That’s very possible," Ciccotti said. "The combination of a rotator cuff injury and a labral injury is a challenging injury for a professional pitcher to navigate through."

Despite that worst-case prognosis, the team was pretty happy with the results of Halladay's shoulder surgery, and thinks he can begin a throwing program in six to eight weeks.

"It’s very possible. It is very possible," he said. "Well, we remain cautiously optimistic about it. And given the person that he is, the motivation that he has, the dedication that he has, he has all the intangibles that are important in getting someone back. But we’re realistic about it, too, that it is very possible that he is not pitching at the level that he wants or what Phillies fans and his teammates deserve him to be pitching at."

Halladay's best-case scenario probably involves him returning to the mound in three months. 

Phillies starter Roy Halladay had successful shoulder surgery Wednesday.

The team issued a statement Thursday, saying "Roy had successful shoulder surgery yesterday. He had an arthroscopic evaluation and underwent debridement of his labrum and rotator cuff as well as removal of an inflamed bursa."

Halladay will begin his rehab shortly, and could begin throwing again in six to eight weeks. Through 34 1/3 innings this year, Halladay has an 8.65 ERA and a 6.22 FIP. 

The Phillies announced Wednesday they will wait until Thursday to give an official statement on how Roy Halladay's surgery went, according to the Delaware County Daily Times. Halladay's surgery was performed Wednesday in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

The Phillies announced Thursday that starting pitcher Roy Halladay will go under the knife for shoulder surgery Wednesday. He will travel to Los Angeles to have the surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Halladay had his right shoulder examined Wednesday and hopes to return from the athroscopic procedure later in the season. A concrete timeline is not yet known, but the surgery is not considered a major, reconstructive procedure.

"The doctor seemed pretty optimistic that if what they saw is correct, I could come back and be a lot more effective and have a chance to pitch this year," Halladay said during a press conference Wednesday. "He said he thought they could turn back the clock two or three years for me.

"I thought it was very good news. Obviously I don’t want to miss time, but I think as far as scenarios go, I feel like it's a lot better than some of the things I anticipated."

With the news that Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay is set to undergo surgery on his right shoulder, another pitcher who was expected to be a big contributor is on the shelf. Scott White had Halladay ranked 17th among players on the disabled list in his Reality Check column Tuesday, but that was before news of his surgery broke.

The team has not given a timetable for his recovery, but Halladay speculated that he could return within three months. That's an awfully long time, but it still leaves nearly two full months of action for him to contribute at the end of the season, even on the low end. Halladay's struggles prior to the injury are a concern, but if we assume the operation will repair his structural issues, Halladay could make an impact.

Halladay does have a 5.92 ERA over the last calendar year, so Fantasy owners are right to be skeptical about his chance to change their fortunes over the long run. If you have an open DL spot to play with on your roster, by all means, stash Halladay. But if you've already been hit hard by injuries and need reinforcements, Halladay is by no means a must-hold. Keeping Halladay on your roster while facing a lengthy recovery is the very definition of a luxury, and one many owners may not be able to afford.