Phillies will use a five-man rotation, but two spots remain up for grabs

When Phillies manager Joe Girardi spoke this month with right-hander Chase Anderson and left-hander Matt Moore, he told the recent free-agent acquisitions that they would be competing for the final two spots in the rotation.

The Phillies spent a combined $7 million on Anderson and Moore -- who have a combined 16 big-league seasons -- but a rotation spot was not guaranteed.

“They welcomed the challenge,” Girardi said. “They were excited about being here. They understand what’s in front of them and what they need to do.”

The Phillies expect to start the season with a five-man rotation, but they do not yet know who the five will be. Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Zach Eflin are locked into three of the spots, leaving the final two up for grabs among Anderson, Moore, Spencer Howard, and Vince Velasquez.

Teams are thinking creatively this spring about how to cover the innings of a 162-game season after playing just 60 games in 2020. The Phillies had considered using a six-man rotation or even a rotation that utilized a sixth starter but allowed some pitchers -- like Nola and Wheeler -- to pitch on normal rest. Instead, they’ll go the traditional route.

“I think you could, but it becomes tricky and some guys are going to go a long time between starts,” Girardi said of a six-man rotation. “I know there’s been a lot of talk about teams considering doing that, but right now we have not. We plan on having a five-man rotation. There are days off that kind of create a sixth day at times. I would not be against it if we get into a long stretch and we see some fatigue in our guys, inserting a guy a couple of times through to make it six so they can catch their breath and go from there.”

As camp begins, Moore and Anderson seem to be the favorites for the final two spots. Moore threw 85 innings last season in Japan, throwing more than any major-league pitcher and perhaps positioning himself to handle the return of a 162-game schedule. Anderson made 25 or more starts in five straight seasons before 2020, which would provide the rotation with some stability.

Velasquez shuffled the last two seasons in and out of the starting rotation and seems better fitted as rotation depth in the bullpen. He could be used as a long reliever while also making spot starts. Baseball, just like last season, is planning to play a slew of seven-inning doubleheaders this season. The Phillies will need more than five starters to finish the season and Velasquez will make his share of starts.

The team’s most pressing dilemma is what to do with Howard, who belongs on the major-league roster but threw just 24 1/3 innings last season due to a shoulder injury. Of the seven starters, Howard seems to be the most challenged to navigate a full season. The Phillies will chart a plan that allows Howard -- their top pitching prospect -- to contribute in September and that might cause him to spend the first month or two of the season in the minor leagues.

“He will compete for a spot in the rotation,” Girardi said. “He’s not on a slower progression. If he was to start, I would anticipate that he would be a fourth or fifth starter. You might see him during his progression in spring training, he might not go the normal progression, he might go a little slower. But really, he’s in competition, so we need to try and get him ready to see where he’s at.”

Five players -- pitchers Ranger Suarez, Neftali Feliz, Mauricio Llovera, Francisco Morales, and catcher Christian Bethancourt -- have yet to report to camp because of visa issues. Suarez’s late arrival will cost him a chance at the starting rotation. Girardi said the Phillies won’t have enough time to build the left-hander’s arm strength. He’ll be a contender for the bullpen.