The Phillies took on the Rays in the Rays’ Port Charlotte, FL ballpark on Thursday. Aaron Nola made the start and allowed all three Rays runs in a 3-2 Phils loss.
Working backwards from Opening Day, Nola would be in line to get the ball for a seventh consecutive Phillies season opener on March 28. His family is expecting a new baby around that date, however, which could complicate the situation.
“I think Wheels should take [the Opening Day honor], he’s earned it, man,” Nola told reporters after he exited the game, referring to Zack Wheeler. But Wheeler just made his first spring start on March 5 and is lined up for a March 30 regular season debut. It’s unclear whether the Phillies would accelerate Wheeler’s timeline to have him pitch the first real game. Rob Thomson hasn’t shared his thoughts on the matter.
Regardless of how Opening Day shakes out, Nola took the loss in this one. Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the game:
The Good
- Nola’s performance was better than his line (3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) indicates. He allowed all three runs in the first, and two of the three came after an infield single that could have easily been the third out of the inning.
- Catcher Aramis Garcia, in camp with the Philies as a non-roster invitee, continues to have a stellar spring. He went one for three in this game and has nine hits in 18 at-bats overall. Garcia, 31, has a .585 OPS in his major league career and likely does not factor into the Phils’ plans at catcher. But he’s certainly having himself a preseason.
- The Phillies pitchers who followed Nola–Taylor Lehman, Yunior Marte, Tyler Phillips, Ryan Burr, Andrew Baker, and Max Lazar–combined for 6.1 shutout innings, walking one, striking out two, and allowing four hits.
- Johan Rojas caught Rays centerfielder Jake Mangum napping in the seventh inning and stretched a single into a double. As always, he also looked great defensively.
- Edmundo Sosa had two hits and a walk in his four plate appearances.
The Bad
- While Rojas’ speed and defense were on display in this game, his offensive shortcomings showed as well. He went hitless in his first three plate appearances and is slashing .208/.208/.541 in 24 spring plate appearances. “He’s still working through his mechanics,” said Thomson of Rojas’ performance. “He got the fourth at-bat today and hit the ball hard finally, and you can’t question the defense. But he’s still working through his mechanics.”
- The Phillies’ B-team lineup hit like one. For the spring, the team ranks 23rd out of 30 MLB squads in batting average (.235), 24th in on-base percentage (.316), and 18th in slugging percentage (.396). All the standard disclaimers apply: it’s just spring, veteran players are working on certain things, many of these at-bats are from guys who will never play in the majors, approaches are more important than results right now. But, all things being equal, you’d rather see good offensive numbers than bad. #analysis
The Ugly
- Had the worst nachos in the world at TT’s tiki bar in Punta Gorda, FL. Barely any cheese or beans. But lots of fruit? It was a fruit salad with chips. I’m not trying to eat healthy down here and I resent them trying to make me.
The Phillies will play the Astros on Friday afternoon. 1:05 p.m. start.
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