Phillies Settle on Vincent Velasquez as 5th Starter

The Philadelphia Phillies have enjoyed strong competition this spring for the 5th starter role in the pitching rotation.

That battle began as a four-man scrum among the righty/lefty incumbent pair of David Buchanan and Adam Morgan, and the righty/lefty newcomer pair of Vincent Velasquez and Brett Oberholtzer.

Buchanan was knocked out early, as his Grapefruit League performances only served to remind everyone that he is a mediocre big league option at best. The club decision-makers then made the choice to go with Oberholtzer as a left-handed option out of the bullpen.

Those moves left the battle as a head-to-head one between Morgan and Velasquez. Both have pitched well throughout the spring,…