Phillies Notes: Rollins still out; MRI scheduled

NEW YORK - It appears the injury to Jimmy Rollins' right hamstring is more troublesome than the Phillies originally indicated.

Rather than travel with the team for a series at Florida, Rollins is scheduled to have a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday.

Rollins remained out of the lineup for the third straight game Sunday.

Asked before Sunday's 3-0 win over the New York Mets how he felt, four days after suffering the hamstring injury, Rollins said, "The same, unfortunately."

Wilson Valdez made his third straight start at shortstop and the Phillies also added Brian Bocock to the roster as an extra shortstop. Bocock batted .226 for triple-A Lehigh Valley. Righthander Cesar Carrillo was designated for assignment to make room for Bocock on the 40-man roster. Carrillo had been claimed off waivers Thursday.

Manager Charlie Manuel was caught shorthanded on infielders in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Mets. He didn't have the option of pinch-hitting for Valdez with a man on second and one out in the ninth inning. Valdez grounded out.

"When we get into a situation when we want to hit for Valdez, to go for an extra-base hit late in the game, or need a hit, this will give us some insurance," Manuel said. "We needed another infielder even if Jimmy was here."

Earlier this season, Bocock joined the Phillies briefly but didn't play in any games.

"Of course we need him and we want him," Manuel said of Rollins. "He makes us better, but we just want to get him healthy. He said he feels [the hamstring] when he hits and when he runs."

Roy Oswalt gave the bullpen Sunday off with his complete-game shutout, which is what Manuel hoped he would do.

No one needed the rest more than Ryan Madson, who had pitched in 26 of the Phillies' 39 games before Sunday. Manuel said Jose Contreras, who leads the bullpen with 59 appearances, also needed a break.

"He gave us exactly what we needed for our bullpen situation, without a doubt, especially for Madson and Contreras," Manuel said.

Manuel was profuse in his praise of backup infielder Valdez, who made a great pivot and throw to turn a double play in the ninth inning Sunday.

"Valdez might be our MVP," Manuel said. "He's a hell of a player, man. I liked him in spring training. Our coaches and I talked about him a lot. He is a tremendous fielder and he's gotten some big hits for us. He knows how to play. He beat everybody out for that [utility role]. Not only can he play the infield, he can also play the outfield. Valdez has been very important to us - big-time."

Valdez, who has made a career-high 74 starts, had a double and single. He has played 37 games at shortstop, 34 games at second base and three at third base.

Kyle Drabek, the top pitching prospect in the Phillies' organization before he was traded to Toronto in the deal for Halladay, will make his big-league debut Wednesday at Baltimore. The righthander was called up Sunday from double-A New Hampshire. . . . Eight of the 15 games between the Phillies and Mets have ended in shutouts. . . . Oswalt became the 18th active pitcher in the majors with 300 career starts.