At least three Phillies first-round picks since 2015 will appear in the team’s Grapefruit League opener this afternoon in Lakeland, Florida.
The wait is over. Baseball is back. Grapefruit League spring training action has arrived.
Saturday afternoon opposite the Detroit Tigers, the Philadelphia Phillies will play in their first game since the 2019 season finale more than 140 days ago.
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Expected regulars Scott Kingery and Rhys Hoskins will respectively start at second and first base, while several roster hopefuls, including four non-roster invitees (NRI), round out the bottom of the lineup.
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Pitching-wise, RHP Nick Pivetta will take the mound, beginning the competition for the team’s fifth spot in the starting rotation behind right-handers Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Jake Arrieta and Zach Eflin. Pivetta will go against several bonafide major leaguers, including RF Cameron Maybin and DH Miguel Cabrera, among others.
Southpaw Cole Irvin is expected to pitch a few innings in relief of Pivetta, according to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, who adds other relievers traveling with the team include RHP Adonis Medina, LHP Cristopher Sanchez, RHP JD Hammer (minors), RHP Connor Brogdon (NRI), RHP Trevor Kelley (NRI), LHP Garrett Cleavinger and RHP Addison Russ (NRI).
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One of the most important things to listen for in the Grapefruit League opener is that at least three of the club’s first-round picks since 2015 will play: CF Adam Haseley (2017, batting second in the starting lineup), along with third basemen Alec Bohm (2018) and Cornelius Randolph (2015). Gelb reports that Bohm (NRI) and Randolph (in from minor-league camp) will enter as a substitute at the hot corner for starter and recently signed non-roster invitee, Logan Forsythe.
If outfielder Mickey Moniak (2016) plays, that number would rise to four. Right-hander Aaron Nola, the team’s 2014 first-round pick, will start in the team’s Grapefruit League home opener on Sunday.
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Bohm, 23, is considered the Phillies’ third baseman of the future, however he will start the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowing either Kingery or Jean Segura to play the hot corner come Opening Day. Randolph, 22, has struggled in recent seasons, including slashing just .247/.324/.399 in 102 games this past season at Double-A Reading.
Barring an unexpected turnaround with Odubel Herrera, Haseley is competing this spring for the center field position; several non-roster invitee outfielders will also look to take the spot, or at least platoon with the Phillies’ 2017 first-round pick. Among them is former Detroit Tiger Mikie Mahtook, who is starting on Saturday as a Phillies non-roster invitee in left field, batting seventh.
Lineup:
- Scott Kingery (R) 2B
- Adam Haseley (L) CF
- Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
- Nick Williams (L) RF
- Deivy Grullon (R) C
- Logan Forsythe (R) 3B
- Mikie Mahtook (R) LF
- Ronald Torreyes (R) SS
- Phil Gosselin (R) DH
First pitch: 1:05 p.m.
TV: N/A
Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP