CLEARWATER, Fla. - Phillies manager Pete Mackanin on Monday said he was not ready to name an opening day starter "because anything can happen in the spring."
But Mackanin dropped a strong hint that veteran Jeremy Hellickson will get the nod for the second straight year when the Phillies open the season in Cincinnati on April 3.
"He's probably got the best chance to be our opening-day starter," Mackanin said after Monday's workout. "I'm not going to definitely announce it because anything can happen in the spring. He was last year. I'm not making the announcement that he will be, but there's a good chance he might be."
Jerad Eickhoff, who led the Phillies' starting staff in innings (197⅓) and ERA (3.65) last season, is another candidate for the start, but it sounds as if he will slot in behind Hellickson.
On paper, the Phillies' opening week rotation - barring something unforeseen - could be Hellickson, Eickhoff, Clay Buchholz, Vince Velasquez and Aaron Nola. Of course, as Mackanin said, "anything can happen in the spring," so all of this is early-camp guess work.
Hellickson, who turns 30 on April 8, went 12-10 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts for the Phillies last season. He returned when the club extended him a $17.2 million qualifying offer for 2017. Hellickson accepted the Phillies' one-year offer after considering free agency.
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"He feels great," Mackanin said. "He's in a great frame of mind. I'm sure he would like to have gotten a five-year, $100 million contract from someone, but he's real happy to be here and we're happy to have him."
Eflin takes the mound
Right-hander Zach Eflin returned to a bullpen mound Monday after being slowed last week by a bout of knee inflammation. He threw 40 pitches and reported no problems.
Eflin had double knee surgery in the fall so the Phils will take it slow with him. He projects to be in the Triple A rotation.
Looking good
Phillies pitchers continued to throw "live" batting practice Monday. Mackanin roamed four fields and got a look at all the arms. He liked what he saw of Pat Neshek, the submarine right-handed reliever that the Phils acquired from Houston in an offseason trade.
"I was watching Neshek throw live BP," Mackanin said. "Not only does he have good movement on his fastball and a real nice sharp-breaking slider, but he threw some outrageous changeups that seemed to stop halfway to the plate. So I'm looking forward to seeing him compete in games."
