Spring training roster cuts begin to clarify Phillies' Opening Day pitching situation

With just under two weeks until the Major League Baseball regular season kicks off, the Philadelphia Phillies provided some more clarity on what the Opening Day roster might look like. Or, at least, they gave us a better idea of what it won’t look like and who won’t be on it when they open the season on March 27 against the Washington Nationals.

Coming into camp, there were very few 26-man roster spots up for grabs. With one of the best starting rotations in baseball, any pitchers hopeful of landing a major league job at the end of the month were looking at roles in the bullpen. With plenty of pitchers performing well this spring, it has been far from clear who has the upper hand for the one relief spot (maybe two if Matt Strahm isn’t ready for Opening Day).

Spring training roster cuts begin to clarify Phillies' Opening Day pitching situation

But the Phillies started to bring the picture more into focus on Saturday with their latest round of spring training roster cuts. The Phillies have reassigned right-handers Koyo Aoyagi, Jose Cuas, Joel Kuhnel, John McMillon and Guillo Zuniga, left-hander Nick Vespi and infielder Rodolfo Castro to minor league camp.

Aoyagi, 31, signed a minor league contract out of Japan this offseason. The Phillies have hopes that the sidearmer can help them at some point this season and become the first Japanese player to play for them directly out of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) League. He has had an adjustment coming over to North America and getting a feel for the MLB ball, allowing four runs on three hits with six walks and six strikeouts in three innings of work over four appearances this spring. He'll begin the year in Triple-A.

McMillon, 27, who was claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins in November, has had an impressive spring. Some even thought he might have a shot at the Opening Day roster despite not being on the 40-man roster. He threw five scoreless innings in Grapefruit League action, giving up two hits and four walks while striking out six. Most notably, he raised some eyebrows with some nasty stuff, and will hopefully get a chance in the big leagues with the Phillies this season.

Cuas, 30, had a spring to forget and was never really in the running for an Opening Day roster spot. The waiver claim from the Toronto Blue Jays gave up eight runs in five innings out of the bullpen. Zuniga, 26, allowed three runs on two hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings. Kuhnel, 30, gave up six runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings. Vespi, 29, allowed just one run on seven hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked none, and as a lefty might be on the Phillies' radar when they need bullpen help during the season.

The presumed frontrunners left in camp for the final bullpen spot(s) include right-handers Taijuan Walker, Nabil Crismatt and Devin Sweet. Walker and his $18 million salary will most likely start the year in the bullpen, as he has had a strong spring, and the Phillies hope he will be a usable piece this season. That leaves Crismatt and Sweet to battle it out for the one remaining opening if Strahm is delayed, thanks to his shoulder issue.

As for Castro, the Phillies gave the 25-year-old infielder another chance to prove himself this spring for the final bench spot, but he couldn't get the job done. He finished with a .038/.194/.038 slash line with 11 strikeouts in 31 plate appearances.

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