Phillies’ Aaron Nola working on new pitch, in line to start opening day for Phillies

Joe Girardi hasn’t actually told Aaron Nola that he will be the Phillies’ opening-day starter two weeks from Thursday at Citizens Bank Park.

“But you know,” the manager said, smiling coyly, “the saying about tea leaves.”

Got it.

Nola, who gave up six runs on seven hits in only 2⅔ innings of Tuesday’s 14-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Clearwater, Fla., is scheduled to pitch again Monday before his final spring-training tune-up March 27. That would line him up for the April 1 opener against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

In that case, Nola would be the first Phillies pitcher to start four consecutive openers since Steve Carlton started 10 in a row from 1977 to 1986.

“I didn’t know that,” Nola said recently. “That would be pretty cool.”

Nola’s problem Tuesday stemmed from an inability to put away hitters. Facing most of the Blue Jays’ projected opening-day lineup, he gave up three two-strike hits in a three-run third inning and was removed after throwing 25 pitches. He reentered the game in the fourth and allowed a leadoff walk and another two-strike RBI double to Randal Grichuk.

“I was just kind of working on everything, working on my changeup a lot,” said Nola, who has allowed 15 hits in 8⅔ innings over three Grapefruit League starts. “Made a couple decent pitches that they looped in for hits. Made a couple bad two-strike pitches that they did some damage on. Leadoff walk kind of hurt me. But overall felt good. My body feels good.”

Nola has also introduced a cutter this spring to a repertoire that features a curveball and changeup in addition to his sinking fastball. He didn’t throw many cutters against the Blue Jays, but got at least one out with it when Bo Bichette lined out to end a nine-pitch at-bat in the first inning.

“I’ve played around with it for a little while but never really gave it the time of day,” Nola said. “I don’t know where it’s going to end up. I’m going to keep working on it and seeing where I can get with it. It’s something I think I can use to my advantage, but it’s not something I’m going to throw a lot.”

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Didi Gregorius got hit near the back of the head by an 90-mph fastball from Blue Jays starter Tanner Roark in the second inning. The shortstop stayed in the game before experiencing what he described to Girardi as a “minor, minor headache” and was replaced in the fourth inning by Ronald Torreyes.

Gregorius is expected to go through testing to rule out a concussion.

One week after being cleared to remove a splint from his fractured right thumb, star catcher J.T. Realmuto is taking regular rounds of batting practice and throwing from 120 feet. He’s schedule to get another X-ray Thursday to determine when he might be ready for game action.

“We’re getting closer,” Girardi said. “Right now, his progression has been really good.”

The Phillies remain hopeful that Realmuto will be ready for the start of the season even though he hasn’t played in a spring-training game.

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Veteran relievers Brandon Kintzler and Tony Watson, bidding for spots in the bullpen as nonroster invitees to camp, gave up their first runs of spring training. Kintzler allowed three unearned runs on four hits in the fifth inning; Watson gave up four runs on five hits in the sixth. ... Mickey Moniak got the start in center field and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and one walk. ... The Phillies optioned infielders C.J. Chatham and Nick Maton and pitcher Cristopher Sanchez to minor-league camp. Chatham seemed to be a candidate for a bench job but is only 4-for-23 (.174) this spring. ... Minor-league outfielder Matt Vierling homered against Blue Jays reliever Ross Stripling. ... Zack Wheeler is scheduled to face the Detroit Tigers at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday in Clearwater. The game will be televised by NBC Sports Philadelphia+.