Phillies Activate Cliff Lee

According to MLB.com Phillies beat reporter Todd Zolecki on Twitter:

And, yeah, that's kind of a big deal. Maybe if only because it (hopefully) brings the same metaphysical boost that we're all banking on from the returns (even if only in spirit and not in swing) of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Especially for a guy who can go deep enough to bury the Phils major league-worst bullpen that entered yesterday's tilt with the Mets with a 4.86 ERA -- before they got shelled for six runs in seventh inning of an eventual 7-4 loss. And, oh by the way, the guy rocked a team-best 1.96 ERA before an oblique strain from his 11-inning outing against the Giants April 18. (Which, not coincidentally, was put through the shredder by the bullpen.)

Lee was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to the day after, which should've had him back by the team's May 4 series opener with the Nationals. Lee, we're extrapolating from Rich Dubee's decision to give him a couple of bullpen sessions on May 2 and 4, needed some more time. Probably a good move, for a guy who's had quite an abusive relationship with those super important sides of his.

He's slated to start tonight against the Mets and Dillon Gee (2-2), and word has it that he'll have a pitch count of 70 or 80. Here's to hoping that, and Lee's body and the Phils bullpen and anything else that might fizzle like an underachieving Alka-Seltzerholds, holds up.