Phillies plan to have reliever Matt Strahm pitch multiple innings as injuries take toll on rotation depth

LAKELAND, Fla. — Matt Strahm throws five types of pitches, three more than most relievers. And when he signed with the Phillies in December, he vowed to keep practicing all five because “I’m going to be a starter one day.”

That day is Friday.

With injuries taking a toll on the Phillies’ starting rotation depth, Strahm will start a split-squad game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. He’s slated for two innings, according to manager Rob Thomson, who wants the lefty to stretch out to three before camp breaks on March 28.

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“We’re going to build him out a little bit,” Thomson said. “We’ve already talked to him, and he’s all good. He’s a real pro. He’ll do whatever we need.”

Strahm has started before. Thirty-two of his 97 appearances in the minors were starts, and he made 16 starts for the Padres in 2019. But the Phillies signed him to a two-year, $15 million free-agent contract to pitch important innings out of the bullpen.

That might still wind up as Strahm’s primary role. But the Phillies’ needs have changed. Ranger Suárez (forearm) is rebuilding his arm strength in the hopes of making his first start, but Andrew Painter (elbow) won’t be ready for the season. Neither will Nick Nelson (hamstring) or lefty Cristopher Sánchez.

At present, Bailey Falter is the leading candidate for the final spot in the rotation. If Suárez runs out of time, lefty Michael Plassmeyer would be the top depth option.

Could Strahm factor into the rotation mix?

“Yeah, depending on how far you build him up,” Thomson said.

But Thomson also suggested that Strahm’s ability to go multiple innings has value in the middle of a game.

“He’s a guy that, if you’re down two [runs] and he comes in in the fourth inning, and in the sixth we come back and tie or take the lead, send him back out for the seventh,” Thomson said. “He’s that type of guy. He’s a leverage guy.”

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Whatever the role, Strahm insists he’d be up for it.

He threw each of his pitches — fastball, slider, curveball, sinker, changeup — at least 9.2% of the time and none more than 38.3% last season, according to Statcast. Asked to name his best secondary pitch, he said it used to be his curveball, but now is a “toss up.”

“Especially with the way the game’s going now with openers and all that stuff, I see now, most of the time, you’ve got to get through a lineup twice,” Strahm said. “I look up and it’s like, ‘I can do that.’ The third time’s the hard one, but I can do twice.

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“It doesn’t matter to me. Pitching in the big leagues is a dream, and I don’t care what I’m doing, as long as it’s in the big leagues.”

Thomson said the Phillies are also hoping to stretch out relievers Connor Brogdon and Andrew Bellatti for multiple innings. Yunior Marte, a candidate for the final spot in the bullpen, also will get an opportunity to pitch more than one inning before camp breaks.

Bryce Harper took another step in the long recovery from Tommy John surgery by taking swings at “soft tosses” — underhand throws from a coach — in the batting cage at the Phillies’ complex in Clearwater, Fla. Previously, Harper had been hitting off a tee.

“It went well,” Thomson said.

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Harper’s progression would go from soft tosses to hitting regular pitches in the batting cage, then taking batting practice on the field, and adding higher velocity. The Phillies continue to project that he will be back “by the All-Star break,” an intentionally vague timetable with which Harper agrees.

At the risk of getting swept up in a spring training start, Zack Wheeler was pleased with his sweeper slider in a 10-1 victory over the Tigers.

Wheeler added the pitch to his repertoire this spring and threw it four times against the Tigers. He struck out righty-hitting Eric Haase on a sweeper that dove down and away to end the fourth inning.

“That was a good one,” Wheeler said. “That was probably the best one — or one of the best ones — I’ve thrown this spring.”

Wheeler gave up one run on three hits (two by former Phillies teammate Nick Maton) and struck out five batters. He worked into the fifth inning, threw 66 pitches, and emerged healthy.

But the development of the sweeper has been a major focus for Wheeler and pitching coach Caleb Cotham. Wheeler believes he can separate the new offspeed pitch from his usual slider/cutter hybrid and curveball.

“It’s not the best right now, but, I mean, it can get big-league hitters out,” Wheeler said. “There’s still going to be adjustments here and there, just like any new pitch, but, yeah, I’m comfortable with it.”

Darick Hall continued to make a powerful case for a roster spot with his team-leading fifth Grapefruit League homer. He’s 10-for-33 (.303) this spring. ... Suárez threw long-toss and spun a few curveballs off flat ground. A bullpen session could be the next step, according to Thomson. ... The Phillies will split the squad Friday for two games against the Blue Jays. While Strahm starts on the road, Falter will start in Clearwater.