By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Just 16 spring training games remain until the Philadelphia Phillies' highly anticipated season opener against the Atlanta Braves, home on Thursday, March 28.
Before Bryce Harper run out to right field for the first time, and before Aaron Nola can take the mound, however, the Phillies must cut their major league roster to 25 players. The club took the first step toward that on Saturday, announcing their first roster cuts of spring training to shrink camp to 55 players.
Forty-man roster members INF Arquimedes Gamboa and RHP Adonis Medina were optioned to Double-A Reading, while non-roster invitees INF Malquin Canelo, C Deivy Grullon, 1B/OF Austin Listi, OF Mickey Moniak and LHP JoJo Romero were reassigned to minor league camp.
Listi had the highest batting average among the five position players cut (.294), while Romero had the better ERA (1.13) and opposing batting average (.143) between him and Medina (3.86, .176).
With the first roster cuts, the following 17 players remain in major league camp as non-roster invitees:
- LHP: Jeremy Bleich, Tyler Gilbert, Cole Irvin, Edward Paredes
- RHP: Josh Martin
- C: Rob Brantly, Drew Butera, Matt McBride
- INF: Phil Gosselin, Gift Ngoepe, Gregorio Petit, Trevor Plouffe, Sean Rodriguez, Andrew Romine
- OF: Lane Adams, Adam Haseley, Shane Robinson
The Phillies need to "cut," or reassign 30 more players before finalizing their Opening Day roster, including some already on their 40-man roster. The club will take on the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida.
