Tigers 4, Phillies 1: No clarity in center-field race

The Phillies welcomed a new addition to their center-field competition Wednesday, but they did not receive any clarity on who will start for them on opening day.

Adam Haseley started for the first time since suffering a groin injury earlier this month. He went hitless in a 4-1 loss to the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla. while Scott Kingery and Odubel Herrera both had one hit. Roman Quinn didn’t play Wednesday and has the best numbers this spring, but isn’t running away with the job.

The Phillies have just five games left in Florida and they’re still waiting for someone to emerge.

“It hasn’t happened yet; there’s a few days left in camp, five more games, and maybe it happens in the next five days,” manager Joe Girardi said. “But as far as someone just saying ‘This is mine and the rest of you guys can just go away,’ I don’t think that’s been the case.”

Haseley went 0-for-3, but he made significant progress by playing the first 4½ innings in his first start since suffering a groin strain. Haseley said he did not feel any discomfort as he reentered the competition to start in center field on April 1. In his first at-bat, Haseley flew out 408 feet to the center-field warning track. It was the farthest ball hit by a Phillies player.

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Herrera remains in the center-field competition, but he no longer seems to be the front-runner he was early in camp. Hererra went 1-for-4 Wednesday with two strikeouts and has three hits in his last 20 at-bats. Herrera is not on the 40-man roster, so the Phillies would have to trim a player to add him. He’s not exactly forcing their hand.

“He’s seen a ton of lefties, just a ton of lefties, which is usually going to make it more difficult on left-handed hitters,” Girardi said. “But I don’t look at his at-bats and say they haven’t been good. That’s not how I see it. His at-bats are competitive. He’s had some tough at-bats against left-handers.”

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Kingery reached base in his first two plate appearances, hitting a single in the first and walking on five pitches in the third. It wasn’t a great day as Kingery went 1-for-3, but it was the first time this spring he reached base twice without being put on by an error.

Ivan Nova allowed four runs on 10 hits in five innings. He’s not a candidate to win a rotation job, but the 11-year veteran could provide rotation depth at triple A. He looked like that last week against the Yankees, but did not look the part on Wednesday.

There’s been so much attention this spring on the other new additions to the bullpen that Sam Coonrod has almost been overlooked. He needed just eight pitches to retire three batters he faced Wednesday and he maxed out at 99.5 mph. The Phillies have Jose Alvarado, Hector Neris, and Archie Bradley for the highest-leverage situations, but Coonrod’s power arm is another nice addition. He has struck out eight batters this spring in 8⅓ innings, and six of his seven appearances have been scoreless.

“It’s another strikeout guy,” Girardi said. “Any time you have strikeout pitches, it can be an advantage. You have to throw strikes and you can’t just give up hits when you’re not striking people out. But it’s another power arm.”

Matt Moore will start Thursday night against the Yankees in Clearwater, Fla. NBC Sports Philadelphia and WIP-FM will carry the game at 6:05 p.m.