The day after Phillies' pitcher Roy Oswalt allowed five runs in a 7-5 loss to the Diamondbacks, to suffer his first defeat of the season, came word that the veteran righthander is taking a leave from the team for personal reasons.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. this afternoon released a statement on Oswalt's leave:
"There has been a tremendous amount of tornado activity near Roy's home in Mississippi resulting in several tragic deaths and significant devastation to the area," it said. "Because of this, Roy is concerned about his family's wellbeing. He has chosen to take time to make sure there wasn't significant damage to his home, but more importantly, to make certain that his wife and children are okay.
"It is almost a year to the day that his parents' home was destroyed by a tornado, which has heightened his concern about the current situation," the statement continued.
"We are hopeful that he will rejoin the team for his next start, but will take that day by day."
For the season, Oswalt is 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA in five starts.
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