Phillies won’t skip No. 5 spot this week, Allard the likely starter

Phillies won’t skip No. 5 spot this week, Allard the likely starter originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s seemed like the Phillies’ fifth starter situation can’t get any worse, yet it has the last three trips through the rotation, with Taijuan Walker, Tyler Phillips and Seth Johnson all being shelled and removed the day after taking their turn.

Johnson was optioned back to Triple A on Monday after allowing nine runs in 2⅓ innings in his major-league debut in Miami. The Phillies recalled reliever Tyler Gilbert, who is likely just holding a roster spot until Kolby Allard can return to the big-league roster.

Allard is first eligible to be called back up from Triple A on Tuesday but the Phillies will probably wait to make the move until Saturday, the next time they need a fifth starter. They couldn’t bring him back over the last two weeks because a pitcher optioned to the minor leagues must remain there for 15 days.

The Phillies’ upcoming off-day Thursday would allow them to skip the No. 5 spot entirely in this rotation cycle but they will opt against it. The health and effectiveness in October of their top four starters is the bigger priority and using a fifth starter this weekend gets everyone an extra day.

Manager Rob Thomson did not confirm on Monday that it would be Allard starting Saturday, though that was likely just to avoid announcing anything prematurely. He’s already said that Allard has pitched the best in that rotation spot of late and that he would prefer not to do a bullpen game.

Allard has a 3.50 ERA in four appearances (three starts) with the Phillies. The last two were wins in which he allowed three runs over 10 innings without a walk.

Prior to Johnson on Sunday, the Phillies used Phillips in Toronto and he gave up six runs, departing with two outs in the first inning. Before that it was Walker, who allowed six runs on a career-high 13 hits to the Astros in a 10-0 Phillies loss.

Walker has since moved to the bullpen as an $18 million mop-up man. The first two relief appearances haven’t been too inspiring — five innings, five runs, two homers, nine baserunners and few swinging strikes.

The No. 5 spot comes up for the Phillies three more times this season — September 14, 19 and 24.