Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced on Wednesday the starting pitchers for the club’s first two Spring Training games: Kolby Allard will get the nod against the Blue Jays on Saturday in Dunedin, Fla., before Aaron Nola takes the hill on Sunday against the Yankees in the Clearwater opener.
Barring an injury (or probably multiple) in the Phillies’ starting staff, Allard will open the season in Triple-A as rotation depth, perhaps competing with Spencer Turnbull and a few longshots to be the first man summoned. Allard’s getting the ball first doesn’t really hold much consequence for that competition; he’ll get the first chance to impress Thomson and co., but that point will be moot by the end of camp.
Nola’s Sunday nod is a little more interesting. Like the majority of teams, the Phillies haven’t announced their Opening Day starter yet, but it’ll obviously go to Nola or Zack Wheeler — again, barring multiple injuries. And it could plausibly go either way.
In his re-introductory press conference after signing his seven-year deal in November, Nola himself said he thinks Wheeler should have the honor, because “what that guy has done is incredible.” As is the talk of the towns (Philadelphia and Clearwater), Wheeler is entering a contract year, and both the team and the player have openly expressed their interest in an extension. Perhaps giving Wheeler his first career Opening Day start is a politically wise gesture against the backdrop of those ongoing negotiations.
But there’s a case for Nola as well, and it’s no less viable. He just reaffirmed his commitment to Philadelphia by becoming the first major name off the board this free-agent cycle, taking no opt outs (despite a rough contract year) and reportedly turning down more money elsewhere. It would make now an odd time to break his six-year streak of Opening Day starts, and a great time to inch him ever closer toward Steve Carlton’s franchise records of 14 career Opening Day starts, as well as 10 in a row.
Wheeler should start sometime early in the coming week, but Thomson hasn’t announced it. Both pitchers are healthy, so maybe the decision to lead with Nola in the spring is a minor tip.
Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll find out soon enough.
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