Opening Day is just three days away and the Phillies started the week with their apparent final cuts in stock.
Utilityman Kody Clemens, left-hander Michael Plassmeyer, and right-handers Erich Uelmen and Luis Ortiz were selected for Triple A Lehigh Valley. All are on the 40-man squad.
Scott Kingery, infielders Jim Haley and Weston Wilson, and catchers John Hicks and Aramis Garcia were moved to the minor league camp. These players are not on the Phillies 40-man roster and were at camp as non-roster invitees.
The infield transactions mean both Jake Cave and Dalton Guthrie will be included in the Phils’ opening-day roster unless they add another player cut by another team by Thursday.
Here are the 13 remaining positional players:
• Catchers JT Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs
• Infielders Darick Hall, Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa and Josh Harrison
• Outfielders Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos, Cave and Guthrie
Rhys Hoskin’s ACL tear at the end of the season opened Guthrie up a spot to make the team as a backup midfielder. It also likely opened the door for Cave to have a lot more playing time as another left-handed outfield versus right-handed starting option. Since Hall is needed to play first base, the DH spot would be open to either Schwarber or Castellanos in these situations.
The 30-year-old Cave has played all over the Grapefruit League this month, hitting 22 for 50 (.440) with four doubles, three triples, three homers and 14 RBI.
On the pitching staff, cuts from Plassmeyer, Ortiz and Uelmen give left-hander Andrew Vasquez, who hit 14 in 10 innings this spring, the final bullpen nod for now. The deciding factor may have been the need for fellow leftman Matt Strahm to start the season as the Phillies’ No. 5 starter due to injuries to Ranger Suarez and Andrew Painter. Strahm was stretched out to about three innings.
The five starters starting the season are Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Taijuan Walker, Bailey Falter and Strahm.
The proposed eight-man bullpen consists of Seranthony Dominguez, Jose Alvarado (LH), Gregory Soto (LH), Craig Kimbrel, Andrew Bellatti, Connor Brogdon, Yunior Marte and Vasquez (LH).
Marte and Vasquez were both acquired by the Giants during the offseason. Marte impressed at camp with the combination of his slider and 98mph fastball.