Spring Training game 2: Orioles 7, Phillies 3

Back in Clearwater, a couple notable names make an impact

The Phillies dropped to 0-2 in Spring Training after losing their home debut 7-3 to the Baltimore Orioles. Not much to write home about here as Rob Thomson is still easing in the regulars piecemeal, but there were a couple of dingers to get excited about.

The Starters

After all the offseason talk about Trea Turner taking over the leadoff spot and Kyle Schwarber dropping deeper into the batting order, it was interesting that RT decided to bat Schwarber first in his spring debut, albeit in a game in which Turner didn’t play. He was followed in the order by Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh, the only other projected starters to play. They combined to go 0-6 with a walk drawn by Schwarber.

Bench Candidates

Garrett Stubbs got his first chance to make his case to retain the role of JT Realmuto’s understudy. He reached base twice on a single and an error and saved a wild pitch with a quick reaction behind the plate.

Christian Arroyo surely raised some eyebrows with his third-inning solo shot that got the Phillies on the scoreboard.

Arroyo may be too positionally redundant to be kept on with Edmundo Sosa already fairly entrenched in the super utility role and Buddy Kennedy more of a known commodity within the organization. But he does have 17 career error-free games played in right field. With Weston Wilson projected out until early April and two thirds of the starting outfield batting left handed, it will be interesting to see when/if/how much RT tries out Arroyo or Sosa in left field.

Another option could be Oscar Mercado, who is back with the organization he played in one game for 2022 after he was claimed off waivers and quickly thrown back. He saw his first action of the spring today subbing for Marsh in center field and went 1-2 reaching second after a single and an error. Mercado can play all three outfield spots and is right handed.

The two left handed options off the bench besides whoever wins the backup catcher job (Rafael Marchan is a switch hitter, Stubbs bats lefty), Kody Clemens and Cal Stevenson, combined to go 1-4 on the afternoon with Clemens collecting a single in the 4th inning. Stevenson ended that inning and left a runner in scoring position after grounding into a double play.

Organizational Depth

Otto Kemp had a nice return to sender single up the middle to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning. Payton Henry, Carson Taylor and Rafael Lantigua all went 0-1 with a walk. Paul McIntosh was here too.

Pitching

Tyler Phillips got the start and somewhat surprisingly finished the expected two innings of work after allowing three runs on 40 pitches. Kyle Tyler took the third and fourth innings and allowed one run. They are both destined for the Iron Pigs’ rotation.

Both of the Phillies’ left-handed non-roster invitees, Tristan Garnett and Nick Vespi, made an appearance. Vespi handled the fifth inning and gave up a run on a hit by pitch, wild pitch, single combo. Garnett allowed three walks and another run and couldn’t make it out of the inning.

Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks and Matt Strahm are all locks to make the bullpen. But if any one of them goes down, these could be names that become infamous.

John McMillon and Cody Stashak (Lehigh Valley) and Gunner Mayer and Carlos Francisco (Reading) also got some work in.

Prospects

Justin Crawford, Aidan Miller and Gabriel Rincones, Jr. all subbed in for the second consecutive day. Miller had a couple of decent at-bats, working his first to five pitches after being down 0-2, followed by a full count in his second before making weak contact for a pop fly.

Crawford singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh and would score on the next pitch after a mammoth two-run blast by Rincones, Jr.

Up Next

The Phillies will stay home at BayCare tomorrow to host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:05pm. The pitching quality will be kicking up a notch with Cristopher Sanchez going up against Cy Young candidate, Paul Skenes.