CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Some pitches are more fun to throw than others. Spencer Howard loves to throw his changeup.

Imagine his surprise last season when he lost the feel for it.

“It was nonexistent,” Howard said Wednesday at BayCare Ballpark, where he allowed two runs in two innings in a 6-4 victory over the Tigers. “It feels better to have it back now. It left me for a bit.”

• Box score

The Phillies' top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, threw nine changeups out of 39 pitches. He recorded five of six outs on them. In the first inning, Robbie Grossman grounded out, Riley Greene struck out swinging and Willi Castro flied out on changeups. In the second, Akil Baddoo struck out looking and Jake Rogers struck out swinging on changeups.

Howard struck out Harold Castro swinging on a 95.2 mph fastball to end the second.

“All of last year was just kind of crazy,” Howard said, explaining why he lost the feel for his changeup. “Be it mechanics, my shoulder, being too focused on getting that perfect backspin, I don’t know. It was just something that happened.”

Howard has not changed anything this spring. Same grip, same everything.

Different results.

“He has a huge discrepancy,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said about the difference between his fastball and changeup. “We talk about it and say it’s almost like it stops. He threw only one to the first two batters, then he started using it and struck out four of the next six.”

Howard, who allowed a two-run homer in the first to Isaac Paredes, is in an interesting spot this spring. His future is in the rotation, but he might not start there because the Phillies want to monitor his workload. He could begin in Philadelphia's bullpen or he could start with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

None of those options would be a surprise come Opening Day.

“Physically, this is the best I’ve felt in a while,” Howard said. “So whichever way it ends up rolling out, I feel ready for it.”

Quinn does when he needs to do
Roman Quinn went 2-for-3 as he tried to build his case for the job in center field. He had a hard out to center field in the second inning, hitting the ball 104.6 mph. He singled to right in the fourth and bunted for a hit in the sixth. It wasn’t his best bunt, but his speed made up for it.

Quinn is batting .417 (5-for-12) with one double, one walk, five strikeouts and one stolen base in five games.

“A really good day for Roman,” Girardi said. “It’s what Roman needs to do. If Roman puts the ball in play, he’s got a really good chance of getting on base. He’s got something that most players don’t have, and that’s elite speed, so he needs to find a way to use it all the time.”

Phillies 6, Tigers 4
Right-hander Chase Anderson pitched two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and two walks, while striking out one. He is competing for a rotation job alongside left-hander Matt Moore and right-handers Vince Velasquez and Howard, although Moore and Anderson are considered front-runners because they both signed Major League contracts in the offseason … Left-hander Tony Watson and righty Brandon Kintzler each pitched a scoreless inning. Righty Héctor Rondón allowed two runs in one inning. All three are veteran relievers in camp on Minor League contracts. … Brad Miller went 3-for-3 with a home run. … Matt Joyce went 2-for-2 with a walk. He is a non-roster player competing for a bench job. … Jeff Mathis and Luke Williams each homered.

Extra bases
• The Phillies will have a Dick Allen patch on their uniforms this season, which The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported last week. The organization retired his No. 15 last summer. Allen died on Dec. 7 at age 78.

• Andrew McCutchen helped distribute baseball and softball equipment to a Little League team in Tampa. He joined up with The Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Giving Truck. McCutchen appeared on Zoom to speak to the kids as they received their gear.

• Archie Bradley will be one of several guest hosts joining Chris Rose this season on The Chris Rose Rotation podcast.

• Former Phillies vice president of public relations Larry “The Baron” Shenk and fan Steve Potter published “Life in the Minors: Fifth Annual Phillies Minor League Digest,” which includes information on the history of the farm system and interviews of current and former players, coaches and more.