Kolby Allard and Aaron Nola to start Phillies’ first two spring training games

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies will play their first spring training game on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. Recently acquired left-hander Kolby Allard will be on the mound to start it, according to manager Rob Thomson. Aaron Nola will start Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees. Allard and Nola will pitch about two innings.

Allard, 26, signed a split contract with the Phillies in January (which means that he will make a different salary in the major leagues and in the minor leagues). He has a minor league option remaining. The Phillies see Allard as a Matt Strahm, jack-of-all-trades type. He has experience pitching out of the rotation and the bullpen.

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Allard, who pitched for the Braves last season, strained the oblique muscle in his right side on March 30, and suffered left shoulder nerve inflammation in mid-July. Because of that, he pitched only 12⅓ innings last season, but said that he shouldn’t have any problem getting stretched out for the regular season.

“Other than last year, I hadn’t missed a start since 2015,” Allard said. “So I think last year was one of those — I blew an oblique in spring training and it was kind of almost like catching up the whole way through there. But afterward, I felt great. I hopped on the mound at the end of last season and threw some bullpens and stuff. So I feel completely normal. Ready for a normal buildup.

“I think the plan is to build up to 100 pitches or so, just a normal starting pitcher situation. I feel ready to do that. I’ve done it in the past. I just want to do whatever the club needs me to do. Whether it’s starting or whether it’s out of the bullpen.”

Outfielder Brandon Marsh, who underwent left knee arthroscopic debridement surgery on Feb. 9, did some light jogging on Wednesday morning. Thomson said he is progressing well in his rehab.

“He’s doing well,” Thomson said. “He’s going to start tracking off the Trajekt [pitching] machine [Thursday]. And then we’ll start getting him to track live pitching, and getting him to bunt a little bit. Just keep it moving.”

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The Phillies signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Austin Brice to a minor-league contract on Monday, with an invite to spring training. Brice, 31, had a 6.92 ERA in 37 games at triple A last year. He has parts of seven seasons of major league experience, with a 5.12 ERA in 144 games.