Veterans advise Jean Cabrera to bulk up; could Garrett Stubbs be the Phillies’ 26th man?
Stubbs is getting some infield and outfield work and Rob Thomson won't rule out carrying three catchers.
BRADENTON, Fla. — Friday’s game was more about depth within the Phillies’ system than anything else. It mostly was minor leaguers who made the trip for a 14-10 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Prospect Jean Cabrera made the start and pitched 2⅓ innings. He allowed one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
He said afterward that he’d benefited from being around veterans in big league camp like José Alvarado, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo.
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When asked what he’s learned from them, Cabrera said they gave him some advice.
“First and foremost, they tell me to add some weight,” the 6-foot, 145-pound Cabrera said with a laugh. “They think that I would benefit from that, to be ready and be healthy for 30 starts in the big leagues. Two hundred-plus innings, who doesn’t want that?”
A few relievers who are competing for bullpen spots, like Seth Johnson, Nolan Hoffman, and Lou Trivino, also made appearances on Friday.
Otto Kemp had another strong day offensively, going 1-for-3 with a double and a bases-loaded walk. Catcher Rafael Marchán also had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a walk.
Catcher competition
Marchán, who started behind the plate against the Pirates on Friday, is competing with Garrett Stubbs for a backup catcher spot.
Manager Rob Thomson said he was looking for who performs the best at the position.
“Marchán is a little bit younger,” he said. “He’s a switch-hitter. They both understand the role and play the role extremely well. And they both can catch and throw.
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“Marchán has swung the bat very well, as has Stubby during this spring. So it’s going to be a tough call when we come down to the end.
“But we are getting Stubby some infield work, some outfield work. There’s nothing that says he couldn’t be the 26th man and we carry three catchers.”
On deck
The Phillies play the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at BayCare Ballpark. The game will be livestreamed on MLB.com and broadcast on 94.1 WIP.