Brogdon optimistic velocity will return soon

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- It was an eventful day for the Phillies bullpen on Wednesday, with one new pitcher entering the Opening Day roster mix, one inching closer to being part of it and another giving the team cause for concern.

The Phils acquired right-handed reliever James Norwood from the Padres prior to their 7-1 loss to the Tigers at BayCare Ballpark. Meanwhile, José Alvarado came away from a pregame bullpen session without any issues after being shut down for a few days due to a neck issue.

Those potential bullpen pieces could prove even more crucial given the ongoing questions surrounding Connor Brogdon's fastball velocity. The right-hander averaged 92.8 mph with the pitch on Wednesday after sitting at 93.4 mph on Saturday and 92.9 mph in his March 23 spring debut.

“Everything feels fine,” said Brogdon, whose fastball averaged 96 mph last season. “I'm probably pretty much as surprised as you guys are when I look up and see 92 on the stadium gun. It felt like it was coming out all right, the numbers just aren't backing it up.”

While the readings are down significantly from his 2021 regular-season average, the drop-off isn’t quite as drastic when compared to his first few spring starts from a year ago -- a more accurate comparison, given that many pitchers ramp up throughout camp.

Brogdon averaged 94.3 mph in his first Grapefruit League game in 2021 and 94.7 mph in his second, though his max speed in those outings was 95.2 mph and 96 mph, respectively. His fastest pitch through three appearance this spring is 94.5 mph. His fastest pitch Wednesday registered at 93.3 mph.

“You hope that next time it creeps up a little bit more,” manager Joe Girardi said. “He's not where we're used to seeing him and we're a little bit concerned. It is a quick Spring Training and sometimes guys take longer to build up. Hopefully it just continues to tick up.”

Adding to that concern is the fact that Sam Coonrod (strained right shoulder) is opening the season on the IL and Alvarado’s status -- despite Wednesday’s encouraging bullpen session -- remains unclear. A reinforcement could arrive in the form of the 28-year-old Norwood, who’s expected to arrive in Clearwater on Wednesday night and meet with the club on Thursday.

Norwood, who tossed five scoreless frames for the Padres last season, had been designated for assignment by San Diego. He’s out of Minor League options, meaning he’ll need to either break camp with the Phillies or be DFA’d again.

“We'll have to see where he's at when he comes in,” Girardi said.

As for how the club plans to handle Brogdon, both Girardi and Brogdon insist there is not any underlying health concern with the right-hander. At the same time, Girardi would not commit one way or the other when asked if the Phillies would carry Brogdon on the Opening Day roster if his velocity doesn't improve over the next week.

“I don't know,” Girardi said. “I believe he'll get better each time, I really do.”

For his part, Brogdon shares a similar optimism.

“Everything feels fine,” he said. “Like I said, the numbers on the gun aren't backing it up right now, but I think, before long, we'll start to see an increase in velocity and missing a few more barrels.”

Vierling eyes CF job
Matt Vierling may seem to be in the driver's seat for the Phillies' Opening Day center-field job in the wake of Tuesday's trade of Adam Haseley, but that doesn’t mean the club's No. 10 prospect is approaching things any different.

With Haseley out of the picture, Vierling and Mickey Moniak (No. 18 prospect) are the ones left competing for the starting role with Odúbel Herrera expected to open the season on the injured list because of a strained right oblique.

"I never want to assume anything," Vierling said. "I'm just going to keep on going and doing what I'm doing. And whatever happens, happens. I'm just going to keep competing for that spot until camp is over, and see where it goes from there."

As for when a decision might be made on who will start in center field -- or at third base -- for the club’s April 8 opener, Girardi said he plans to take it down to the wire a bit.

"We're going to let it play out, I'm sure. It's such a short Spring Training," Girardi said. "We want to see guys have an opportunity to show exactly what they can do. I mean, guys getting 21, 22 at-bats maybe? That's not very many. They tell you 500 is a small sample size -- what's 21?"

For now, Vierling is just going to continue his work in center field with outfield coach Paco Figueroa, all while soaking in everything he can from the veteran outfielders alongside him in Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber.

"It's awesome to be around such great players, guys that have been around for a while and had success," Vierling said. "It's great to be able to pick their minds and learn from them. It's going to make me a better player in everything -- hitting, fielding, just how I carry myself around the field and locker room. It's great to have those guys around."

Minor Leaguers honored
The Phillies honored their top performers from Minor League camp in a pregame ceremony on the field Wednesday. Outfielder Ethan Wilson, the club's second-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft and its No. 7 prospect, received the Bill Giles Award while Oswald Medina, a 20-year-old right-hander who posted a 2.16 ERA in 14 starts for the Phillies' Dominican Summer League team last year, claimed the Larry Rojas Award.