He's been dominant and reliable as a starter, notching winning seasons every single year since 2005. The Phillies ace hasn't posted a losing record for a season since 2000 –– when he was 23 years old and totaled a 4-7 record in his second full year as a pro.
That reputation makes Halladay's possible recent setback worrisome. On Sunday, the 35-year-old exited the Phillies' game against the Cardinals with right shoulder soreness and was charged with his fifth loss of the season. In all likelihood, it appears that Halladay is destined for the disabled list, an anomaly given his ironman status.
That'll be a devastating blow to Philadelphia, a team that's already without Chase Utley and Ryan Howard for the majority of the season.
With every day and every injury, the championship window is gradually closing on the Phillies. The integral pieces of the 2008 World Series title –– Howard and Utley –– are battling serious injuries, and the pitching staff, while still effective, is also aging. Halladay's shoulder issues could be a byproduct of age and attrition from 15 years in Major League Baseball.
To the organization's credit, the Phillies are only five games out of first. They've managed to fill in some of the missing pieces, sliding in Carlos Ruiz at cleanup and giving Freddy Galvis a chance to dazzle.
Replacing Halladay won't be as seamless, though. In his first two seasons in Philadelphia, Halladay was one of the top pitchers in all of baseball, amassing a 40-16 record while collecting a Cy Young Award in 2010 and finishing second for the honor in 2011.
That's reliability, and losing it could potentially put the Phillies' championship window in jeopardy.
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