Jerome Williams likely headed to disabled list
Jerome Williams is likely headed to the disabled list after straining his left hamstring in the first inning of the Phillies' embarrasing 19-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
BALTIMORE --- Jerome Williams is likely headed to the disabled list after straining his left hamstring in the first inning of the Phillies' embarrasing 19-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
Williams said he felt a pop after he split while covering home plate on a wild pitch. The struggling righthander left Oriole Park at Camden Yards on crutches.
"We'll find out more details (Wednesday), but I think that's what we're looking at," he said of a DL stint.
The injury ended a brutal 30-pitch first inning for Williams, who allowed six runs and recorded only two outs. Two wild pitches in the same at-bat preceded the injury. His season ERA inflated to 6.43, the second-worst in the majors among qualified starters.
Options to take Williams' spot in the Phillies' rotation are limited. Chad Billingsley pitched his first rehab start Tuesday as he works his way back from a shoulder strain but will likely need at least one more. Billingsley allowed one unearned run on three hits over just three innings (46 pitches, 25 strikes) while pitching for triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The only other healthy starters on the Phillies' 40-man roster who are in triple A are Severino Gonzalez and Adam Morgan. Gonzalez, 22, posted an 8.69 ERA over five major league starts this season. Morgan, 25, is 0-6 with a 4.61 ERA in 12 starts with Lehigh Valley. Gonzalez pitched Tuesday so he would be on normal rest come Williams' next turn.