Phillies looking forward to a future with Matt Harrison

He's the only major league player that came to the Phillies in exchange for Cole Hamels, and that is largely assumed to be a courtesy move by the Phillies. Instead of sending more than the $9.5 million they sent to Texas, they simply inherited Harrison, who has suffered through back problems so severe in recent seasons that he is the first ever pitcher to return from the type of treatment he required.

But Harrison has made himself at home, as Tom Reifsnyder told us in the Daily News, talking to his other teammates as if he is one of them. And he is. Except,

"However, Harrison's relationships with his new teammates will be strictly off the field for the foreseeable future, as he has been placed on the disabled list due to lower-back inflammation."

Oh yeah, he is definitely not pitching this season, so thoughts of him alleviating some of the depth problems that have and probably will continue to haunt the 2015 Phillies can be destroyed.

The Phillies, however, haven't ruled out making Harrison a part of their campaign next season. And the season after that. The Phillies love Matt Harrison, Harrison says:

"[Pete Mackanin] knows what's going on and just said be smart with it, and [he also said], 'We're looking for you to be on the staff next year and the next year after that,' so he said just get healthy right now and see where it goes," Harrison said.

So buckle up; we don't exactly know where these Phillies are headed in the next few years, but apparently a man recovering from spinal fusion surgery will be here to the very least witness it along with us.