By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Philadelphia Phillies manager Pete Mackanin apparently isn't interested in dragging out the semi-storyline of who will pitch on Opening Day 2017 for the club.
Mackanin spoke to the collective media Monday, including Jim Salisbury of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, and suggested that Jeremy Hellickson is likely to get the nod as the Opening Day starter for the second consecutive season:
“He’s probably got the best chance to be our opening-day starter,” Mackanin said after Monday’s workout. “I’m not going to definitely announce it because anything can happen in the spring. He was last year. I’m not making the announcement that he will be, but there’s a good chance he might be.”
As Mackanin said, nothing is set in stone. Injuries and setbacks happen to pitchers in Spring Training all the time. But assuming that doesn't happen, Hellickson, who will turn 30 in April, will be on the mound when the Phillies open their 2017 season in Cincinnati on April 3.
There had been some thought that Hellickson may be pushed by Jerad Eickhoff, who topped Hellickson in innings and ERA in 2016. Instead, the 27-year-old, who was acquired as part of the Cole Hamels trade with the Texas Rangers in July of 2015, will likely pitch the second game of the season.
The Phillies home-opener is on Friday, April 7, against the Washington Nationals. Vince Velasquez or Aaron Nola, whoever is slotted fourth in the rotation, is on-pace to start that game.
