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Phillies Notes: Phillies will keep Revere in left field

CLEARWATER, Fla. - After Ben Revere's seventh straight game as a leftfielder, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg deemed the move official, "barring anything that could come up."

Ben Revere. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)
Ben Revere. (Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)Read more

CLEARWATER, Fla. - After Ben Revere's seventh straight game as a leftfielder, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg deemed the move official, "barring anything that could come up."

"As I look at it right now," Sandberg said Sunday, "he's left field."

In the same realm, Rule 5 selection Odubel Herrera is set to start the season as the Phillies' centerfielder. "Probably to start with," Sandberg said.

Sandberg first experimented with the switch, which better plays both players' arms, on March 21. It has stuck since.

Utley belts two

Chase Utley smacked his first two home runs of Grapefruit League play in a 4-4 tie with the Detroit Tigers. Utley, who walked in his other at-bat, raised his spring average to .423.

"He just looks like he's ready to go on the offensive side of things," Sandberg said. "His whole game, he's probably ready as we speak. It hasn't taken him too long. He looks like he's pretty sharp."

In his final Grapefruit League start, Aaron Harang allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits. He will start Friday night's exhibition against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park and then the second game of the season on April 8.

Despite back discomfort leading to two scratched starts earlier in the spring, Harang was still able to build his arm strength ahead of the season. He threw 99 pitches Sunday. "Everything feels good," he said.

Asche progressing

Cody Asche went 2 for 4 with a double as the designated hitter in an intrasquad minor-league game as he works his way back from a bout with back tightness. The third baseman missed his fourth straight Grapefruit League game, but expects to be ready for opening day.

His Sunday at-bats came against David Buchanan, who got in six innings of work. The second-year righty allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits.

Roster cuts

In addition to Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, the Phillies optioned righthanded reliever Hector Neris to minor-league camp. Catcher Koyie Hill, righthander Paul Clemens, and infielders Chris Nelson and Chris McGuiness, each non-roster invitees, were reassigned to minor-league camp.

- Jake Kaplan

and Matt Breen