Orion Kerkering makes his spring debut after last pitching for the Phillies in the NLDS

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Orion Kerkering didn’t get into a Grapefruit League game until four days before the Phillies break camp.

It’ll take even longer for him to unleash his new pitch.

Slowed by a strained right hamstring since the first week of spring training, Kerkering faced four batters in the sixth inning here Friday against the Tigers and gave up two hits and one run. It was his first game action since his series-ending throwing error in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium.

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“He was fine,” Thomson said. “I thought he got better as the inning went on.”

Kerkering threw 16 pitches, all fastballs and sweepers. He gave up a hard-hit single on a heater to Javier Báez and a sweeper to Parker Meadows, who got thrown out at second base by Adolís Garcia.

The inning ended with Báez scoring on a groundout and Gleyber Torres striking out on a nasty sweeper.

But Thomson was hoping to see Kerkering’s new splitter, a pitch that he added this spring at the suggestion of pitching coach Caleb Cotham to keep hitters from sitting on his other two pitches.

“We need to see that,” said Thomson, who wasn’t sure why Kerkering stayed away from the new pitch. “It was just fastball-slider. Maybe that was just what he wanted to concentrate on. I wanted to see the split.”

Kerkering will pitch again Monday before the Phillies break camp. But it will be a minor-league game at the Carpenter Complex rather than a Grapefruit League game.

It’s an important distinction. MLB allows teams to backdate an injured-list placement by three days from the start of the season, effectively shortening the minimum term from 15 days to 12.

The Phillies have at least two bullpen spots up for grabs among lefties Kyle Backhus and Tim Mayza and righties Zach Pop, Zach McCambley, Chase Shugart, Lou Trivino, and Jonathan Hernández. If Kerkering begins the season on the injured list, it would create a third vacancy.

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With the Phillies facing Tigers ace lefty Tarik Skubal, righty-hitting Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp started at second base and left field, respectively. Lefty-swinging Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh replaced them later in the game against a righty reliever. It’s a preview of what Thomson intends to do during the season. … Justin Crawford turned on a changeup and ripped a triple down the right-field line against Skubal in the third inning. Crawford is 13-for-47 (.277) with a .703 OPS in 59 spring at-bats. … Backup catcher Garrett Stubbs exited after taking a foul ball in a delicate area. He was OK, Thomson said. … Lefty reliever Tanner Banks gave up a game-tying home run to the Tigers’ Dillon Dingler in the seventh inning. The game ended in a 4-4 tie. … The Phillies are 10-14-2 this spring.

Lefty reliever Génesis Cabrera was assigned to minor-league camp. The Phillies have 39 players left in major-league camp.

“I think he’s been great. He’s controlled the strike zone for the most part. His [contact] ability is unbelievable. He knows where that barrel is, and he makes adjustments in a heartbeat. For a young guy like that, it’s really impressive.” — Thomson on Crawford’s spring performance

Trea Turner and Stott are expected to be in the lineup when the Phillies visit Sarasota, Fla., to face the Orioles at 1:05 p.m. Saturday (no TV or radio). In Clearwater, 2025 first-round draft pick Gage Wood is slated to pitch at 1:05 p.m. in a minor-league showcase against Blue Jays prospects.