CHICAGO -- Jake Thompson's first four starts in the big leagues have not gone according to plan, but he will have more opportunities to turn things around this season.
Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Wednesday that Thompson will remain in the rotation.
"At this point, yeah," Mackanin said. "In Triple-A, you can get away with more mistakes. You can't get away with mistakes here. You immediately find that out when you start making a few mistakes. They don't get popped up or grounded out. They get hit. What he's doing now is just trying to make perfect pitches and trying too hard. Keep the ball down. Keep it down. Everything is up in the zone. He didn't do that in Triple-A. When he did, he got away with it." 
Thompson is 1-3 with a 9.79 ERA in his first four starts. He is tied with Alec Asher for the second-highest ERA in franchise history for a pitcher that made four starts in his first four big league appearances. Only Mike Maddux fared worse. He posted a 9.98 ERA through his first four starts in 1986.
Four more years for Lakewood
The Phillies and Class A Lakewood announced a four-year extension to their player development contract. The BlueClaws will remain in the South Atlantic League through the 2020 season.