TORONTO -
Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay pronounced himself fit after throwing a side session Friday and will make his return from the disabled list Monday versus the Tampa Bay Rays.
Halladay has been nursing the right groin injury he suffered during a June 12 start versus the Florida Marlins. The right-hander had hoped to pitch last Saturday in Washington but both he and the team decided to play it safe, setting next week's series-opener with the defending AL champions as a new target.
A bullpen session Tuesday went well and a final decision was held off to ensure there were no issues when he threw again Friday.
"I feel good. I feel it's completely gone," said Halladay. "So we'll carry on with the plan and I think pitch Monday is what we're going to do from here. I felt good. I was encouraged. It was a full bullpen -- full effort -- and I didn't feel anything."
That's good news for the Blue Jays, who took a 6-5 mark in Halladay's absence into Friday's clash with the Philadelphia Phillies, but have sorely missed their ace's dominance and dependability to pitch deep into the game every fifth day.
Beyond being 10-1 with a 2.53 earned-run average in 14 starts, Halladay is also averaging about 7 1-3 innings per outing, providing some regular rest for the bullpen.
In the team's first 11 games without him, Toronto starters have logged 60 2-3 innings to average just over five innings per appearance. That's left 43 1-3 frames for the often overworked relievers.
His return should stabilize the team on that front, and bolster the clubhouse in the process.
"It's always nice to have Doc back," said manager Cito Gaston. "We've hung in there and played pretty good without him, but we certainly would've been better with him.
"Any time you have a quality pitcher like Doc Halladay pitching for you, you come to the ballpark with a different feeling -- the players do. You play behind a pitcher who gives you a chance to win every time he goes out there."
