By: Matt Rappa, managing editor 
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Playing against each other Saturday afternoon for the fourth time out of the seven meetings this spring will be the first and third-best record holders in Grapefruit League play, the Toronto Blue Jays (9-1-1) and Philadelphia Phillies (8-3-2).
Right-handers Vincent Velasquez, or "Vinny from Philly," and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will take the mound for the third time of the spring for the Phillies and Blue Jays, respectively.
Prior to the game, the Phillies announced that they have reassigned right-handers Greg Burke and Gregory Infante to minor league camp.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Toronto Blue Jays (9-1-1) | Philadelphia Phillies (8-3-2) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | R.A. Dickey | RHP | Vincent Velasquez | ||
| (1-0, 1.80 ERA) | (0-0, 3.60 ERA) | ||||
Right-handed knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will earn earn his third start of the spring—and his second against the Phillies, with the previous outing coming on March 2 in two innings of one-run baseball as both teams went on to tie, 4-4.
Dickey, 41, is 5-4 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.306 WHIP ratio in 12 career starts against the Phillies during the regular season.
Velasquez, 23, has impressed so far this spring. In two appearances, the right-hander acquired this offseason from the Houston Astros has six strikeouts in five innings of work, allowing just two earned runs on six hits and a walk.
CSNPhilly.com's Corey Seidman describes Velasquez's latest start, which took place Monday, March 7, in Bradenton against the Pittsburgh Pirates:
Velasquez was impressive Monday afternoon in his second spring training appearance, pitching three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and two double-play groundouts against the Bucs. His four-seam fastball missed bats, and the two-seamer he worked on over the offseason generated one of the twin-killings that nullified his allowing singles to start each inning.
This spring, Velasquez is working on his two-seam fastball to try to "get as many groundballs as possible," in order to keep his pitches down in starts. He hopes to earn the final spot in the Phillies' starting rotation come Opening Day, joining Aaron Nola, Jeremy Hellickson, Charlie Morton and Jerad Eickhoff, who will pitch three innings in a minor-league game Saturday afternoon in his comeback from a fractured right thumb.
Starting Lineups:
| Toronto Blue Jays (9-1-1) | Philadelphia Phillies (8-3-2) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | CF | Kevin Pillar | R | 1 | SS | Freddy Galvis | S |
| 2 | 3B | Josh Donaldson | R | 2 | CF | Odubel Herrera | L |
| 3 | DH | Jose Bautista | R | 3 | 3B | Maikel Franco | R |
| 4 | SS | Troy Tulowitzki | R | 4 | 1B | Ryan Howard | L |
| 5 | 1B | Chris Colabello | R | 5 | DH | Andres Blanco | S |
| 6 | LF | Michael Saunders | L | 6 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 7 | RF | Darrell Ceciliani | L | 7 | C | Carlos Ruiz | R |
| 8 | 2B | Ryan Goins | L | 8 | LF | Tyler Goeddel | R |
| 9 | C | Josh Thole | L | 9 | RF | David Lough | L |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 1:05 p.m.
- TV: CSN, MLB.TV
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Phillies-Blue Jays Major League Baseball Spring Training Rankings:
(as of Friday, March 11, 2016; statistics courtesy of MLB.com)
What's Next:
- Sunday, March 13, 2016: at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
- Tampa – George M. Steinbrenner Field
- LHP Adam Morgan (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. LHP C.C. Sabathia (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
- TV: YES, MLB.TV; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP, WFAN 660/101.9 FM
