NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay is expected to miss six to eight weeks because of a strained right shoulder, the latest major setback for the five-time NL East champions.

Halladay was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, two days after he was hit hard and pulled from a start in St. Louis after just two innings because of shoulder soreness.

The two-time Cy Young winner will be shut down for a minimum of three weeks, then work toward rejoining the rotation, Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said.

Proefrock said tests done in Philadelphia indicated Halladay doesn’t need surgery to recover and that the injury doesn’t affect his rotator cuff.

“We hate to have him down, but it’s nothing that requires anything other than rest,” Proefrock said.

Halladay is 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts. He has pitched at least 220 innings in each of the past six seasons, and four times led the league in innings. His 72 1-3 innings this year tied Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez for the NL lead.

The move with Halladay, which came two years to the day since he pitched a perfect game in Florida, was made retroactive to Monday. Catcher Erik Kratz was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Minutes before the injury was announced as a Grade I/Grade II strain of the latissimus dorsi, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he thought Halladay needed a break.