Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies' Cliff Lee won't begin throwing for at least another 3-4 weeks

Published Jun. 17, 2015 10:01 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Philadelphia Phillies hoped that left-handed starter Cliff Lee would at least be throwing on flat ground by now, but that hope will be further delayed after a recent doctor's visit.

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday that Lee, who was shut down in March with an elbow injury, had an exam in Philadelphia on Tuesday that showed he's still not ready to throw a baseball.

"He’s not going to begin throwing for another three or four weeks," Amaro said. "He's doing well. He's in great shape. He's taking care of himself, but he's not really prepared to start throwing yet. We'll see what happens over the next month or so. Probably in another month or so we'll know a little more. Best-case [scenario] he'd be throwing right about now. He's not ready to do it."

Lee's status for the 2015 season is still up in the air.

Upon his return to throwing, the 36-year-old former Cy Young winner will have to decide whether his elbow can sustain throwing again with a small tear in his flexor tendon or if he'll need to mend the injury with surgery instead, which would require at least nine months of rehabilitation.

(h/t CSN Philadelphia)