Tom Gordon will be the Opening Day closer for the Phillies.

Just before we left Clearwater to get to tonight's Phils-Yankees game in Tampa, the team announced that new closer Brad Lidge is headed to the DL.

The 31-year-old relief pitcher was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday afternoon. The move is retroactive to March 21, meaning Lidge can return to action Saturday, April 5 in Cincinnati.

"It’s not what I wanted," Lidge admitted. "I was trying to get ready as fast as possible and unfortunately in the end my arm strength is behind.

"I was trying basically to cram four weeks of spring training into a little over a week."

Lidge, who was acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros in November, it still rehabilitating from arthroscopic knee surgery he underwent Feb. 25. The hard-throwing right-hander hasn’t pitched in Grapefruit League games this spring.

Lidge did make his first minor-league, intra-squad appearance Thursday. He made another Sunday, allowing a walk and two hits before getting out of trouble with a double play.

"(Sunday) was just one of those outings where it just wasn't me yet," Lidge said. "It was the first time I felt like I might need a little bit more than I thought."

"Flash" Gordon will handle closer duties until Lidge is ready to return.

"He’s just not there yet – he needed the (extra) time," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said of Lidge. "He sitting on just two or three (spring innings) right now; it's not enough time to get him ready and it’s not fair to him to place him in that situation."

When the team breaks camp Thursday to fly back to Philadelphia, Lidge will stay back in Florida. He's expected to pitch three times this week and next week before possibly reuniting with the club in Cincinnati or the team’s fifth game of the season.

"Hopefully those few outings will get me 100 percent ready," Lidge said. "It makes more sense to make sure I'm 100 percent ready when I start instead of being 90 percent and trying to (go)."

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