Blue Jays 9, Phillies 3: J.T. Realmuto homers, tests thumb with two throws in first game action

It wasn’t so much the home run — on his first swing of his first exhibition game — that had J.T. Realmuto feeling so optimistic Tuesday night that he will be ready to play when the Phillies open the season April 1 at Citizens Bank Park.

No, it was more the two throws to second base later in the game.

Realmuto didn’t throw out either base-stealer in the Phillies’ 9-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Clearwater, Fla. But his right thumb, fractured only five weeks ago, held up under the stress of a heat-of-the-moment play that he could never fully simulate in a workout on the back fields of the Carpenter Complex.

“That’s actually something that I was hoping would get tested,” Realmuto said after catching six innings. “Because that’s kind of the last thing that I was worried about with my thumb was an explosive play like that throwing the ball around. Didn’t feel it either time, which is great. It honestly felt better out there than I thought it would. Could be a little adrenaline, but I felt nothing out there.”

That’s progress, according to Realmuto, who admitted he still experienced “a little discomfort” as recently as last weekend after going through his throwing program. He had been scheduled to play in his first game last Sunday as the designated hitter, but the Phillies removed him from the lineup before the game when he reported “general soreness.”

“In the last two or three days it’s just gone away completely,” Realmuto said. “I haven’t felt it at all.”

Asked if he has any doubt about being ready to catch opening day, Realmuto said, “For me, no. Not at all. If the organization feels like I have enough at-bats, I think health-wise it’ll definitely be ready. I’m pretty confident I’ll be in there.”

» READ MORE: How the Phillies' J.T. Realmuto plans to achieve catching longevity | Scott Lauber

Roman Quinn’s at-bats have gotten better throughout the spring, mostly because he has made more frequent contact. He connected with a fastball from Blue Jays starter Tommy Milone in the third inning and drove it 401 feet over the wall in left-center field.

Quinn, who is competing for the center-field job, has quietly had a solid camp. He’s 10-for-31 (.323) and has hit safely in nine of 13 games. After striking out in eight of his first 19 plate appearances, he has whiffed only four times in his last 16.

Adam Haseley also reentered the center-field mix with a single in his first at-bat since straining his left groin on March 4. Haseley is scheduled to start in center field Wednesday.

Five days after blanking the Baltimore Orioles for five innings, Zack Wheeler got roughed up by the Blue Jays in his second-to-last spring tuneup. His heater had good life, reaching 98.9 mph and averaging 96.8 mph. But he struggled to command his offspeed pitches, and the fastball-hitting Blue Jays teed off for seven runs (five earned) on six hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Wheeler ended on a good note. After being lifted with one out in the third inning, he reentered in the fourth and retired the side..

» READ MORE: Phillies' bullpen picture coming into focus as decisions loom

It isn’t only the composition of the bullpen that is being discussed by team officials this week. It’s also the roles of each reliever. And given manager Joe Girardi’s preference for a multiple-inning option in addition to a long man, it was notable that Archie Bradley recorded six outs on 20 pitches in two perfect innings.

Bradley is a candidate to close games for the Phillies. But he might be more valuable in a setup role because of his ability to pitch more than one inning. Over the last two seasons, he got more than three outs in 24 of 82 appearances.

Didi Gregorius threw low to first base on Bo Bichette’s routine two-out grounder to shortstop in the first inning. The ball short-hopped Rhys Hoskins and kept the inning alive for Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who crushed a hanging breaking ball from Wheeler for a two-run homer.

Infield defense was an issue for the Phillies last season. They have focused in spring training on better pre-pitch preparation to help Gregorius and others get to more balls.

» READ MORE: He was a higher-ranked prospect than Bryce Harper. Now Matt Moore is just happy they’re teammates.

If Neftalí Feliz’s arrival in camp hadn’t been delayed by visa issues coming over from his native Dominican Republic, he figures he would be in the mix for a spot in the Phillies’ opening-day bullpen.

“For sure,” he said last weekend through a translator. “But unfortunately that’s something that I can not control. What matters the most to me is that I feel 100 percent healthy and ready to compete.”

Better late than never, then, he made his first appearance of the spring, reached 96 mph on his fastball, and retired the side in the ninth inning. Not bad for a 32-year-old former closer who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2017.

The Phillies will travel to Lakeland, Fla., to face the Detroit Tigers at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday. There won’t be a local radio or television broadcast. Meanwhile, Zach Eflin and Spencer Howard will pitch in a simulated game in Clearwater.