Vince Velasquez ‘fully content’ in bullpen role for Phillies, despite rough start

LOS ANGELES -- The Phillies’ Vince Velasquez bullpen experiment is only four games old and the results so far have not been great. The starter-turned-reliever has allowed nine hits, including three home runs, and posted a 10.39 ERA.

The most damaging of those home runs came Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium after Velasquez entered a scoreless game in the seventh inning and caught too much of the plate with a 2-2 slider to David Freese. The result was a solo home run that triggered the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 8-0 victory and left the Phillies to deal with a three-game sweep by the best team in the National League.

“It was a pitch we pretty much were convicted in and it kind of just backed up a little bit,” Velasquez said. “That took our energy from the game. Probably getting out of that inning would have got us to the top of our lineup with a little drive to get something started.”

The appearance by Velasquez marked the first time in his career that he had been asked to pitch on consecutive days. He made 12 relief appearances as a rookie with Houston, but never on back-to-back days.

“We made a plan before the game,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “We knew we would have to go through the middle of their lineup a couple of times and we were going to go to Velasquez first, Seranthony [Dominguez] second and then hand the ball to [Hector] Neris if we were still in the game. We executed that game plan.”

Well, not exactly.

“Vinny wasn’t able to complete that inning,” Kapler said. “Part of being a really good major-league reliever is being able to go through an entire inning. That’s an important part of the job. That’s something Vinny is learning. I’ll leave it at that.”

Velasquez, who showed some initial reluctance at going to the bullpen, insisted that he is all-in but still learning how to be a reliever.

“Yeah, I’m fully supporting it,” he said. “My mind is kind of making the transition. The whole preparation thing is in the works, but it’s to the point where I’m fully content in the position. I kind of know the role. I just have to kind of be on my toes and be ready at any moment.”

He told pitching coach Chris Young that he was ready to go back-to-back days before Sunday’s game and the Phillies based their plan on his cue. Like Velasquez’s two-out, 2-2 pitch to Freese, however, it backfired and the Phillies left L.A. with a four-game losing streak.

Aaron Nola (6-0, 4.18 ERA) will attempt to end the Phillies’ skid when he pitches Monday night against Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Lefty Eric Lauer (4-4, 4.45) will pitch for San Diego. ... Jerad Eickhoff (2-3, 4.10) will pitch Tuesday against Chris Paddack (4-3, 2.40), and Jake Arrieta (5-5, 3.96) will go against Joey Lucchesi (4-3, 3.96) Wednesday afternoon.