Dombrowski: Bryce ‘doing great’ in rehab
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies play their Grapefruit League opener at 1:05 p.m. ET Saturday in opposition to the Yankees at BayCare Ballpark. They’ll ship a break up squad to play the Tigers in Lakeland, too.
Thursday appeared like a great time to talk with Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who mentioned a number of subjects throughout a 20-minute-plus press convention.
Harper’s progress
Bryce Harper is recovering effectively from Tommy John surgical procedure.
In reality, he would possibly even be forward of schedule.
“He’s doing great,” Dombrowski stated.
Harper is taking dry swings at dwelling in Las Vegas, which means he’s swinging a bat however not making contact with the baseball. The subsequent development is hitting off a observe tee, then build up till he’s taking batting observe and in the end dealing with stay pitching. The Phillies nonetheless preserve their authentic timeline that the two-time National League MVP Award winner may very well be again by the All-Star break in July. But there may be cause to assume he would possibly beat that timeline.
“You could say that he’s a little bit ahead, but oftentimes you say that about players and all of a sudden you have a setback,” Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson stated. “I’m just knocking on wood. We’re just going to make sure we’re careful with how we keep progressing with him. We’ve got a way to go.”
Nola extension talks
The Phillies and right-hander Aaron Nola’s camp have been speaking a couple of contract extension, with each side exchanging proposals in some unspecified time in the future.
“I can just say that Aaron’s a player that we want to keep in the organization for an extended time,” Dombrowski stated.
The Phillies wish to strike a deal earlier than the top of camp. If they don’t, it’s not the top of the world, though Nola stated he doesn’t wish to negotiate as soon as the season begins as a result of he doesn’t need the distraction.
In an ideal world, Philadelphia would lock up Nola, then additionally prolong righty Zack Wheeler’s contract, which runs via 2024. In that state of affairs, the Phillies imagine they’d have three aces atop the rotation (Wheeler, Nola and prime prospect Andrew Painter) for years.
Hoskins’ future
Rhys Hoskins, like Nola, will change into a free agent after the 2023 season. There are not any indications the perimeters are digging deep into talks.
“In Rhys’ case, we have free agents just like we had last year with [Jean] Segura,” Dombrowski stated. “He was in that position. Rhys is a tremendous player, a tremendous person. He’s done a lot for the organization. And so we’ll just analyze it and see what takes places, but we love him. We think the world of him.”
Scott Kingery has an outdoor probability. He is coming into the ultimate yr of a six-year, $24 million contract. But Kingery, who shouldn’t be on the 40-man roster, has a lot to show.
Kingery homered in opposition to Nola on Thursday in stay batting observe.
“He’s shortened his stroke,” Thomson stated. “He’s labored quite a bit with [hitting coach Kevin Long] in Arizona all winter. He’s getting on prime of the ball and hitting extra line drives, making extra contact.
“We understand how gifted this man is. He can play anyplace on the diamond. He can run. He can steal bases. He simply received away from his swing at one level. He seems to be like we’re getting him again near the place he was. That dwelling run at present was fairly spectacular. I do know it’s BP, but it surely’s transferring ahead, for certain.”
Kingery can play the infield or outfield, together with middle subject. The Phillies are on the lookout for someone to again up Brandon Marsh in middle.
Guthrie and Cave play middle, too. Sosa goes to play there this spring. If Sosa performs effectively, the Phillies might look in another way at how they form the bench.
“If it’s Sosa, if it’s Guthrie, if it’s Cave, even though he’s a left-handed hitter, one of those players has to make the club, because we have to have somebody who can go out and play center,” Dombrowski stated.
Hello, Soto?
Left-hander Gregory Soto, acquired from the Tigers in a five-player commerce on Jan. 7, stays within the Dominican Republic due to visa points, and he’s persevering with to throw on the group’s academy there. He is meant to compete with the Dominican Republic within the World Baseball Classic, however that may not occur. The Phillies imagine Soto’s arm can be in form each time he arrives.
