By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
In what will be their second-to-last Grapefruit League game of the 2018 spring training season, the Philadelphia Phillies (12-17-2) will send out RHP Vince Velasquez to the mound opposite RHP Trevor Williams and the Pittsburgh Pirates (11-18-2) at LECOM Park Monday afternoon in Bradenton.
Monday's matinee is less than one day removed from the club's surprising extension of No. 2 prospect Scott Kingery to a six year, $24 million deal, and a few hours removed from a press conference alongside general manager Matt Klentak and manager Gabe Kapler. Kingery also was named onto the Phillies Opening Day roster as a utility player, with Kapler saying he could play "at six different positions throughout year: 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF and RF," and also "maybe eventually at first base." Kingery will start at third base on Monday, batting third.
The Phillies fell 6-5 to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, concurrently snapping their two-game win streak. Right-handed starter Nick Pivetta tossed three scoreless frames, allowing just a pair of hits while striking out five. Fellow RHP-starter-hopeful Ben Lively was credited with a blown save, allowing two runs on three hits spanning four relief innings. At the plate, Rhys Hoskins and Maikel Franco connected with their fifth and sixth respective spring home runs, while Roman Quinn swept his spring big league-leading ninth stolen base.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Philadelphia Phillies (12-17-2) | Pittsburgh Pirates (11-18-2) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | Vince Velasquez | RHP | Trevor Williams | ||
| (1-2, 3.48 ERA) | (0-2, 5.54 ERA) | ||||
Velasquez, 25, will make his fifth spring start and first Grapefruit League appearance since March 16, home against the Toronto Blue Jays at Spectrum Field. In 10 1/3 innings, Velasquez has struck out 12 batters while walking just three.
The Montclair, California native has yet to surrender a home run this spring, although opposing batters are hitting .308 against him with 12 hits and three walks, en route to a 1.45 WHIP ratio.
Williams, 25, appears to have a starting rotation spot locked up on the Pirates Opening Day roster along with right-handers Ivan Nova, Jameson Taillon, Joe Musgrove and Chad Kuhl. The San Diego, California, native is 0-2 this spring with a 5.54 ERA and 13-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 13 innings.
The two-year veteran was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the second round of the 2013 amateur draft out of Arizona State University. The Marlins dealt Williams to the Pirates on Oct. 24, 2015, in exchange for minor league RHP Richard Mitchell. Thus far through 38 games and 163 innings in the majors, Williams is 8-10 with a 4.36 ERA and 128-57 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Starting Lineups:
| Philadelphia Phillies (12-17-2) | Pittsburgh Pirates (11-18-2) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | SS | J.P. Crawford | L | 1 | DH | Adam Frazier | L |
| 2 | DH | Carlos Santana | S | 2 | 2B | Josh Harrison | R |
| 3 | 3B | Scott Kingery | R | 3 | CF | Starling Marte | R |
| 4 | RF | Nick Williams | L | 4 | 1B | Josh Bell | S |
| 5 | 2B | Pedro Florimon | S | 5 | LF | Corey Dickerson | L |
| 6 | C | Andrew Knapp | S | 6 | RF | Sean Rodriguez | R |
| 7 | 1B | Matt McBride* | R | 7 | 3B | Colin Moran | L |
| 8 | LF | Jiandido Tromp* | R | 8 | SS | Jordy Mercer | R |
| 9 | CF | Zachary Coppola* | L | 9 | C | Elias Diaz | R |
* not on 40-man roster
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 1:05 p.m.
- TV: MLBN
- Radio: MLB.com
Game Notes:
Phillies brought 16 minor-league campers on trip to Bradenton, including 20-year-old Daniel Brito, who has impressed. Zach Coppola gets a CF start in Grapefruit League.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) March 26, 2018
- On Monday morning, the Phillies optioned southpaw Zac Curtis and outfielder Roman Quinn to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Thus, utility player Pedro Florimon and LHP Hoby Milner will make the team, notes MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
- Hoskins' .700 slugging percentage and 1.117 OPS ranks third-best, while his .417 on-base percentage ranks 10th-best among all qualified batters this spring.
- The Pirates and Phillies have the second and third-worst winning percentage in Grapefruit League play this spring, .379 and .414, respectively. Only the New York Mets have performed worse, .357.
- Kingery is tied with two other players for having the fourth-most hits this spring among qualified National League batters, 20.
- Kingery, who turns 24 on April 29, is now locked up through his age 32 season for $65 million, notes NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury. Contract details (Spotrac):
- 2018: $1 million
- 2019: $1.5 million
- 2020: $1.75 million
- 2021: $4.25 million
- 2022: $6.25 million
- 2023: $8.25 million
- 2024: $13 million club option ($1 million buyout)
- 2025: $14 million club option ($1 million buyout)
- 2026: $15 million club option ($1 million buyout)
Spring Training Roster Breakdown, (entering March 26, 2018):
Total Major League Camp Roster: 32 players (+4 non-roster, minor league-assigned invitees remaining in big league camp)
40-Man Roster (40 -2):
- Major League Camp (31 -1):
- Left-handed pitchers (2): Hoby Milner, Adam Morgan
- Right-handed pitchers (14): Victor Arano, Jake Arrieta, Zach Eflin, Luis Garcia, Drew Hutchison, Tommy Hunter, Ben Lively, Hector Neris, Pat Neshek, Aaron Nola, Nick Pivetta, Edubray Ramos, Jake Thompson, Vince Velasquez
- Catchers (2): Jorge Alfaro, Andrew Knapp
- Infielders (6): J.P. Crawford, Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez, Scott Kingery, Carlos Santana
- Outfielders (5): Aaron Altherr, Pedro Florimon, Odubel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams
- Designated for Assignment (-1): Cameron Rupp
- Disabled List-bound RHPs (2): Jerad Eickhoff, Mark Leiter Jr.
- Minor League Camp (10 -1):
- Left-handed pitchers (2): Zac Curtis, Ranger Suarez
- Right-handed pitchers (5): Drew Anderson, Seranthony Dominguez, Franklyn Kilome, Yacksel Rios, Jose Taveras
- Catchers (0):
- Infielders (1): Jesmuel Valentin
- Outfielders (2): Dylan Cozens, Roman Quinn
- Designated for Assignment (-1): Ricardo Pinto
Non-Roster Invitees (16):
- Major League Camp (1):
- Left-handed pitchers (0):
- Right-handed pitchers (0):
- Catchers (0):
- Infielders (1): Will Middlebrooks
- Outfielders (0):
- Minor League Camp (15):
- Left-handed pitchers (2): Cole Irvin, Brandon Leibrandt
- Right-handed pitchers (4): Pedro Beato*, Enyel De Los Santos, Tom Eshelman*, J.D. Hammer
- Catchers (4): Edgar Cabral, Matt McBride*, Logan Moore, Nick Rickles
- Infielders (2): Heiker Meneses, Mitch Walding
- Outfielders (3): Collin Cowgill*, Danny Ortiz, Andrew Pullin
* remain in big league camp
What's Next:
- Tuesday, March 27, 2018: vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 1:05 p.m.
- Spectrum Field, Clearwater, Fla.
- RHP Jameson Taillon (1-0, 2.79 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Arrieta (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP+; Radio: N/A
