Lively, Teheran square off with 15 days until Opening Day

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Winners of two straight games, the Philadelphia Phillies (8-11) will look to continue their momentum — sparked by the recent signing of RHP Jake Arrieta — as RHP Ben Lively takes the mound against the Atlanta Braves (8-10-1) at Walt Disney World's Champion Stadium on Wednesday.

Lively will appear for the first time with his new number, 54, last worn by southpaw Kevin Siegrist in 2017. Arrieta took Lively's former No. 49, the number he wore with the Chicago Cubs from 2013-2017.

Braves No. 1 starter RHP Julio Teheran will get the nod opposite Lively. Southpaw Max Fried was originally slated as the Braves' starter, but he will instead pitch in relief. As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien notes, Teheran was supposed to throw in a minor league game rather than face Phillies, however the Braves "changed their minds," deciding it was "not a big deal to have Teheran face the Phillies this close to Opening Day."

The Phillies blanked the Braves 3-0 on Monday in their first spring meeting, despite being out-hit 9-2. Right-hander Zach Eflin tossed five shutout frames, allowing just one hit, while non-roster invitee Mitch Walding delivered the game's only offense with a one-out, three-run home run in the eighth off Braves closer Arodys Vizcaíno. After Wednesday, the two teams will meet Saturday for the last time in Grapefruit League action ahead of their season-opening series, March 29-31 at SunTrust Park.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

Lively, 26, has yielded three runs on seven hits, a hit batter and two walks through three starts and nine innings this spring.  The right-hander has also struck out seven batters, while limiting opposing batters to a .212 average. Lively threw five scoreless frames over his first two starts, but was hit hard in his most recent appearance, March 8 against the New York Yankees in Tampa.

Teheran, 27, enters his eighth big league season with the Braves. The two-time All-Star has yet to surrender a run this spring through three starts and nine innings, giving up just six hits and three walks, while striking out five.

Starting Lineups:

* non-roster invitee

Broadcast Information:

• First pitch: 1:05 p.m.
• TV: N/A
• Radio: MLB.com

Game Notes:

• J.P. Crawford will make his first start at third base this spring, batting ninth.
• The Phillies have 14 games left this spring. It is worth watching how much longer non-roster invitee Scott Kingery remains with the big-league club, as well as when Arrieta debuts and whether he can get two starts in to prepare for the regular season.
• Former Phillies outfielder Ezequiel Carrera signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Braves on Tuesday, two days after the Toronto Blue Jays released the seven-year veteran. 
• Following Tuesday's game, the Phillies optioned right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez to minor league camp. Dominguez, the Phillies' No. 13-ranked prospect, went 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in five appearances and 4 2/3 innings this spring. The 23-year-old struck out five batters and walked two, while surrendering only two hits for a 0.86 WHIP.
• The Phillies signed soon-to-be 27-year-old LHP Tim Berry to a minor league contract on Tuesday, according to their transactions page. Like Arrieta, Berry reconnects with Orioles-turned-Phillies brass, who drafted him in the 2009 amateur draft out of San Marcos High School in California. Berry with 4-1 with a 3.28 ERA and 58 strikeouts spanning 49 1/3 combined relief innings last season with the Orioles' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates.

Spring Training Roster Breakdown, (entering March 14, 2018):

Total Major League Camp Roster: 48 players

40-Man Roster (40 -1):

• Major League Camp (32):
  • Left-handed pitchers (3): Zac Curtis, Hoby Milner, Adam Morgan
  • Right-handed pitchers (16): Victor Arano, Jake Arrieta, Zach Eflin, Jerad Eickhoff, Luis Garcia, Tommy Hunter, Mark Leiter Jr., Ben Lively, Hector Neris, Pat Neshek, Aaron Nola, Nick Pivetta, Edubray Ramos, Yacksel Rios, Jake Thompson, Vince Velasquez
  • Catchers (3): Jorge Alfaro, Andrew Knapp, Cameron Rupp
  • Infielders (6): J.P. Crawford, Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez, Carlos Santana, Jesmuel Valentin
  • Outfielders (5): Aaron Altherr, Odubel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins, Roman Quinn, Nick Williams
• Designated for Assignment (-1): Tommy Joseph
• Minor League Camp (8):
  • Left-handed pitchers (1): Ranger Suarez
  • Right-handed pitchers (5): Drew Anderson, Seranthony Dominguez, Franklyn Kilome, Ricardo Pinto, Jose Taveras
  • Catchers (0):
  • Infielders (1): Eliezer Alvarez
  • Outfielders (1): Dylan Cozens

Non-Roster Invitees (23):

• Major League Camp (16):
  • Left-handed pitchers (1): Fernando Abad
  • Right-handed pitchers (4): Pedro Beato, Tom Eshelman, Drew Hutchison, Francisco Rodriguez
  • Catchers (2): Matt McBride, Logan Moore
  • Infielders (5): Ryan Flaherty, Scott Kingery, Will Middlebrooks, Adam Rosales, Mitch Walding
  • Outfielders (4): Collin Cowgill, Pedro Florimon, Danny Ortiz, Andrew Pullin
• Minor League Camp (7):
  • Left-handed pitchers (2): Cole Irvin, Brandon Leibrandt
  • Right-handed pitchers (2): Enyel De Los Santos, J.D. Hammer
  • Catchers (2): Edgar Cabral, Nick Rickles
  • Infielders (1): Heiker Meneses
  • Outfielders (0):

What's Next:

• Thursday, March 15, 2018: Off-day, the Phillies's second and last this spring before having off on the eve of March 29's Opening Day in Atlanta.
• Friday, March 16, 2018: Split-squad at Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m.
  • Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, Fla.
  • RHP Nick Pivetta (0-3, 6.48 ERA) vs. LHP Daniel Norris (0-0, 3.60 ERA)
  • TV: N/A; Radio: N/A
• Friday, March 16, 2018: Split-squad vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m.
  • Spectrum Field, Clearwater, Fla.
  • LHP Jaime Garcia (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (1-1, 3.52 ERA)
  • TV: NBCSP+; Radio: N/A