CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Phillies right-hander Ramon Rosso planned to leave baseball forever and move to Spain to work with his father as an auto mechanic after the Dodgers released him from their farm system in July 2016.
Rosso even flew from the Dominican Republic to Spain to renew his papers.
“It was pretty much a done deal,” Rosso said during Monday’s 3-1 victory over the Yankees at Spectrum Field. “I was going to go for good.”
But Rosso got a second chance. Luis Marte, who was his pitching coach in the Dominican, and Luis Garcia, who is a Phillies scout, encouraged him to keep pitching. The Phils signed him in February 2017, and it’s a move that appears to be paying off. Rosso has quickly moved up the ranks. He went 3-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 10 starts with Double-A Reading and 2-4 with a 5.50 ERA in 14 starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season. After working at Driveline Baseball in Seattle this winter, Rosso’s fastball jumped from the 93-94-mph range to 97 mph.
It has Rosso in position to join the Phillies’ bullpen this season.
“He’s been a starter, but I think at this point we’re looking at him as a bullpen piece,” Phils manager Joe Girardi said. “If he does not make the team, he’d probably go back to the rotation. But we’re taking a look at him. He has some velo. He has a pretty good slider. He throws strikes. He seems to be pretty calm out there. He’s handled everything so far.”
Rosso allowed one run in two innings against the Yankees, getting a last-second start in place of Aaron Nola, who could not pitch because of the flu. Rosso has struck out five and allowed four hits, two runs and one walk in 5 2/3 innings this spring.
Rosso smiled when asked about life’s twists and turns. A few years ago he was moving to Spain. On Monday he pitched against the Yankees.
“Of course it blows my mind,” he said. “It had been a year I was with the Dodgers and I wasn’t really getting better. I wasn’t improving in any aspect, so they lost hope in me. … But at the end of the day, I know that all this is the result of my hard work. I’ve never forgotten how hard I’ve worked for this.”
Is this the March 26 lineup?
The Phillies hit J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, Jean Segura, Rhys Hoskins, Didi Gregorius and Scott Kingery in order on Monday.
Could it be a preview of their Opening Day lineup? Girardi talked recently of possibly separating his left-handed hitters in the lineup to take advantage of the new three-batter-minimum rule.
“I think it has that potential, yeah,” Girardi said. “But I think we'll have Jay Bruce somewhere in there too, possibly.”
Bruce is expected to play in the outfield for the first time this spring on Thursday. He was limited to pinch-hitting in the second half of last season because of an injured left elbow. The Phils have been bringing him along slowly, but he said the other day he is ready to play the field.
Roster moves
The Phillies optioned catcher Deivy Grullon to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and infielder Arquimedes Gamboa to Double-A Reading. They reassigned infielder Austin Listi to Minor League camp. Grullon’s departure means Andrew Knapp is healthy. He appeared in his first Grapefruit League game on Monday as a pinch-hitter, and he is scheduled to catch on Thursday.
Didi is saving them for the season
Gregorius is hitless in 22 at-bats. He lined out to Yankees center fielder Josh Stowers to end the sixth on Monday.
“He’s not wasting any,” Girardi said. “He hit the ball hard twice today. His at-bats were better today. I’m going to tell him to wait until the last day now.”
Up next
Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (0-0, 8.31 ERA) faces the Twins on Tuesday afternoon at Spectrum Field. Wheeler could start on Opening Day, if Nola misses too much time because of the flu.