CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies didn’t waste any time getting lead closer candidate David Hernandez on the mound. The right-hander worked a perfect fourth inning, getting two groundouts and a fly ball, in the Phils’ Grapefruit League opener Tuesday.
“He threw strikes,” manager Pete Mackanin said. “I liked what I saw.”
The Phillies have a number of closer candidates, including former American League rookie of the year Andrew Bailey, who is in camp on a minor-league deal after being slowed by injuries the last few seasons.
Hernandez, 30, was the only free agent the Phillies signed to a big-league contract this winter and that probably makes the closer’s job his to lose. He will make $3.9 million in base salary and will receive bonuses of $250,000 for 35, 40, 45 and 50 games finished.
Hernandez showed a 93-mph fastball and a breaking ball. Like many Phillies, he is working on his changeup in this camp.
“It’s always good to start off with a good outing,” he said. “But I still have a lot of work to do. I’m really focusing on my changeup. It’s always been my third pitch and once the season starts I don’t want to get beat throwing my changeup. But it’s a good pitch that I can get a ground ball with so I need to work on it.”
The game
The Phillies lost, 5-3.
Right-hander Severino Gonzalez struggled through a 32-pitch first inning, walked one, hit another and allowed two hits and two runs.
Gonzalez made seven starts for the Phillies last season and had an ERA of 7.92. The Phillies improved their starting pitching depth this winter and Gonzalez appears ticketed for the minors.
In the outfield
Phillies officials believe they will have a very sound defensive outfield and that should help the pitching staff. Rightfielder Aaron Altherr showed off a big arm in cutting down a run at the plate and Odubel Herrera made a nice diving catch in center field. Herrera got a poor jump on a ball that went over his head, but it appeared he never picked up the ball and the sun may have been a factor.
At the plate
Veteran J.P. Arencibia, in camp as a non-roster player, had two hits including a home run. Carlos Ruiz had a two-run single.
Pitching plans
Here is a rundown of the pitchers scheduled to work in the coming days:
Wednesday at Blue Jays — David Buchanan, Vincent Velasquez, Brett Oberholtzer, Reinier Roibal, Jeanmar Gomez.
Of note: Supposing that the Phillies open the season with Jeremy Hellickson, Charlie Morton, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff in the rotation, there is one spot to be had. Velasquez might be the lead candidate. Oberholtzer will be in the mix, as well. Both came over from Houston in the Ken Giles trade. Buchanan is a rotation long shot.
Thursday vs. Astros (split-squad game in Clearwater) — Jake Thompson, Zach Eflin, Colton Murray, Elvis Araujo, Greg Burke, James Russell, Ernesto Frieri.
Of note: Thompson was one of the headline pickups in the trade that sent Cole Hamels to Texas last summer. He went 5-1 with a 1.80 ERA in seven starts with Double A Reading after the trade then added 16 innings of one-run ball in the Eastern League playoffs. Thompson, 22, projects to open the season at Triple A, but could push his way to Philadelphia later in the season. Eflin, a product of last winter’s Jimmy Rollins trade, is also slated to pitch at Triple A and could get to Philadelphia this season, as well.
Thursday at Yankees (spilt-squad game in Tampa) — Adam Morgan, Alec Asher, Mark Appel, Daniel Stumpf, Edward Mujica.
Of note: Morgan is in the hunt for a rotation spot. Appel, the first overall pick in the 2013 draft, makes his Phillies debut. He was picked up in the Giles deal. Stumpf is a Rule 5 pick looking to win a job as a lefty out of the bullpen.
Injury report
Mackanin said Cody Asche (oblique) could be ready to go in three or four days.
Hard-throwing reliever Jimmy Cordero (sore triceps) has been cleared to throw.
On Wednesday
Buchanan is the scheduled starter against the Jays in Dunedin. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will start for Toronto.