As you may have read in this very space last night, Raul Ibanez has been hurting.

But the news that he was placed on the DL still was a little surprising. Bothered by a left Achilles injury in the last week, Ibanez has also been battling a groin injury "off and on since April," according to general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

Ibanez tried to play through it, and quite frankly, held his own. In case you missed it, he's been one of the best players in the National League.

"It started bothering him a little bit more on this last, long road trip," Amaro said. "It got to the point where the discomfort was enough to shut him down. I talked to (team physician) Dr. Michael Ciccotti and (head athletic trainer) Scott Sheridan yesterday and we concurred that the best thing to calm it down was to put him on the DL and get him right."

"We needed to shut him down and make sure we get him healthy."

Ibanez is expected to have an MRI later today. He wasn't available to the media before Thursday's game.

Amaro said Ibanez was not necessarily happy to hear the team was placing him on the DL, but added that, like in Brad Lidge's situation, "we have to save the forest from the trees."

Speaking of Lidge was, the closer was encouraged after he threw a 42-pitch bullpen session Thursday morning and reported no pain.

Lidge said, depending on how his body reacts Friday morning, he could begin a rehab in Reading as soon as tomorrow night.

Lidge would likely need three rehab outings. There is an outside chance he could return to the team when he us eligible to be activated from the DL (Tuesday) although Amaro said the the team will not rush Lidge back.