By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
With just four Grapefruit League games remaining, the Philadelphia Phillies (11-16-2) and non-roster invitee RHP Drew Hutchison will take on the Detroit Tigers (11-14-4) and their Opening Day starter, RHP Jordan Zimmermann, in a Saturday matinee at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida.
The Phillies routed the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, 8-2, in part thanks to a two home run, 6 RBI offensive showing by third baseman Maikel Franco. Catcher Jorge Alfaro produced the other two runs with a two-run double in the top of the second. Phillies Opening Day starter RHP Aaron Nola tossed four scoreless frames, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five.
The last time both the Phillies and Tigers met this spring, in Phillies ace RHP Jake Arrieta‘s club debut on Thursday, three pitchers (Matthew Boyd, Parker Frazier, Pedro Beato), along with Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and bench coach Rob Thomson were all ejected by umpire Tom Hallion.
On Saturday, the Phillies will look for their first win over the Tigers, having gone 0-2-1 against them thus far this spring. Phillies utility man Jesmuel Valentin, who has 11 RBI in 41 at-bats, will start at first base on Saturday, his seventh unique position played this spring. Valentin is competing this spring with Roman Quinn and Pedro Florimon for one of the Phillies’ limited bench positions.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Philadelphia Phillies (11-16-2) | Detroit Tigers (11-14-4) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | Drew Hutchison | RHP | Jordan Zimmermann | ||
| (1-0, 3.45 ERA) | (1-0, 4.15 ERA) | ||||
Hutchison, 27, joins reliever Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez as the last remaining Phillies non-roster invitee pitchers vying for positions on the Opening Day roster come March 29. Through five appearances and two starts this spring, Hutchison is 1-0 with a 3.45 ERA and 14-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 15 2/3 innings.
Update, 12:56 p.m.: The Phillies granted K-Rod his unconditional release prior to Saturday’s game against the Tigers. K-Rod ranks fourth on the all-time saves list (437), and is only one of two active players with 300 or more saves. The 36-year-old had a 5.40 ERA this spring, with five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings and eight relief appearances.
Zimmermann, 31, has not appeared since March 13, when he tossed five shutout innings against the New York Yankees with just two hits allowed and four strikeouts. The two-time All-Star will make his first home spring start since March 3.
Starting Lineups:
| Philadelphia Phillies (11-16-2) | Detroit Tigers (11-14-4) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | SS | J.P. Crawford | L | 1 | CF | Leonys Martin | L |
| 2 | 2B | Scott Kingery* | R | 2 | 3B | Jeimer Candelario | S |
| 3 | C | Cameron Rupp | R | 3 | 1B | Miguel Cabrera | R |
| 4 | RF | Nick Williams | L | 4 | RF | Nicholas Castellanos | R |
| 5 | 3B | Pedro Florimon | S | 5 | DH | Victor Martinez | S |
| 6 | 1B | Jesmuel Valentin | S | 6 | C | James McCann | R |
| 7 | LF | Collin Cowgill* | R | 7 | LF | Mikie Mahtook | R |
| 8 | DH | Andrew Knapp | S | 8 | SS | Jose Iglesias | R |
| 9 | CF | Roman Quinn | S | 9 | 2B | Dixon Machado | R |
* not on 40-man roster
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 1:05 p.m.
- TV: N/A
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes:
- Saturday could be the last appearance for Hutchison as as Phillie, as the club has less than 48 hours to decide his fate for the 2018 season.
- The Phillies released non-roster infielder Adam Rosales on Friday, who hit .237/.286/.421 this spring with five singles, two doubles, one triple, one home run, two RBI and two walks in 21 games and 38 at-bats.
- Four Phillies non-roster invitees were reassigned to minor league camp on Friday, although they will remain with the big league club until camp breaks on Tuesday: right-handers Pedro Beato and Tom Eshelman, outfielder Collin Cowgill and catcher Matt McBride.
Spring Training Roster Breakdown, (entering March 24, 2018):
Total Major League Camp Roster: 35 players (+4 non-roster, minor league-assigned invitees remaining in big league camp)
40-Man Roster (40):
- Major League Camp (32):
- Left-handed pitchers (3): Zac Curtis, Hoby Milner, Adam Morgan
- Right-handed pitchers (13): Victor Arano, Jake Arrieta, Zach Eflin, Luis Garcia, Tommy Hunter, Ben Lively, Hector Neris, Pat Neshek, Aaron Nola, Nick Pivetta, Edubray Ramos, Jake Thompson, Vince Velasquez
- Disabled List-bound RHPs (2): Jerad Eickhoff, Mark Leiter Jr.
- Catchers (3): Jorge Alfaro, Andrew Knapp, Cameron Rupp
- Infielders (5): J.P. Crawford, Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez, Carlos Santana, Jesmuel Valentin
- Outfielders (6): Aaron Altherr, Pedro Florimon, Odubel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins, Roman Quinn, Nick Williams
- Minor League Camp (8):
- Left-handed pitchers (1): Ranger Suarez
- Right-handed pitchers (6): Drew Anderson, Seranthony Dominguez, Franklyn Kilome, Ricardo Pinto, Yacksel Rios, Jose Taveras
- Catchers (0):
- Infielders (0):
- Outfielders (1): Dylan Cozens
Non-Roster Invitees (18):
- Major League Camp (3):
- Left-handed pitchers (0):
- Right-handed pitchers (1): Drew Hutchison
- Catchers (0):
- Infielders (2): Scott Kingery, 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:
- Sunday, March 25, 2018: vs. Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
- Spectrum Field, Clearwater, Fla.
- LHP Nestor Cortes Jr. (0-1, 5.02 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (0-3, 4.70 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
