Three weeks after their season was cut short by the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phillies provided medical updates on several of their players.
Ryan Howard, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon while grounding out to end Game 5 of the NL division series and the season, had stitches removed on Tuesday and has progressed to partial weight-bearing on his leg.
The Phillies said he has begun a rehabilitation program in Philadelphia but did not list a timetable for his return.
Calls to Ryan Howard's agent, Casey Close, were not immediately returned.
Placido Polanco, who played most of the season with a sports hernia, had a follow-up exam with William Meyers and is continuing his rehabilitation in Miami. He had double sports hernia surgery performed earlier this month.
The 36-year-old third baseman had just two hits in the playoffs and finished his season with a .277 average after hitting .321 in the first two months.
On Thursday, Cole Hamels had the stitches removed after surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow and is continuing to rehab in Philadelphia. He had a follow-up exam on Friday for his hernia surgery with Ernest Rosato and has been cleared to return to his offseason program.
Hamels went 14-9 this season with a 2.79 ERA. He pitched six shutout innings at St. Louis in a 3-2 Phillies win in Game 3.
Calls to Hamels' agent, John Boggs, were not immediately returned.
If the Phillies are unable to work out a contract extension with Hamels, who turns 28 in December, he'll be offered arbitration.
Hunter Pence is continuing his rehabilitation program in Philadelphia for a sports hernia. His surgery was performed earlier this month. He will have a follow-up appointment with Meyers next week, the Phillies said.
Reliever Jose Contreras didn't make an appearance after June 19 and had his season shut down for good in August. He had surgery in September and was seen by Michael Ciccotti on Oct. 20. He'll begin isometric forearm strengthening starting next week and is on track to progress to regular strengthening by December and initiate throwing in January.
He remains under contract for 2012 at $2.5 million, with a club option for 2013.
Ross Gload had his hip evaluated by Bryan Kelly in New York on Oct. 18, and Kelly did not feel an arthroscopic procedure was needed. Instead he prescribed him an offseason rehab program.
Gload batted .257 this season and had just two at-bats in the postseason. The 35-year-old recorded a combined 10 hits in the months of August and September. He will be an unrestricted free agent.
