⚾ Jake Cave is making his case in Clearwater to earn a spot on the Phillies' roster. ringthebell NBCSPhilly
Cave has started the spring hot, going 5 for 9 with a double, triple and homer in three games. He cracked a two-run bomb to right-center in the second inning Wednesday in Fort Myers at his old spring training home of the Twins. It was the hardest-hit ball of the day for either team at 109.4 mph. It went 427 feet, eight shorter than Hall's two-run shot three innings later.
"It was an injury thing. I broke my back in 2021, I think that was a big deal because I'd been feeling that for a while. I don't know how it happened but it happened. In 2021, I was hurting to start the year but played through it. Then I eventually got an MRI and broke an L5. So 2020, the COVID year, I wasn't happy with my production and 2021, I was hurt a lot. But I was happy with last year.
The ability to play center field is an important factor in the battle for the final bench spots. The Phillies need a backup behind Brandon Marsh, who is a left-handed hitter like Cave. Marsh is the everyday center fielder. Sosa has worked out in center field but the Phillies will carry a backup in center whether or not Sosa adapts quickly to the position. He's needed too many other places anyway.
There aren't many roster battles taking place in Phillies camp. It's fifth starter, eighth reliever, 12th and 13th position players. Andrew Painter's bid for the final rotation spot has garnered a ton of attention, rightfully so. How the rotation battle plays out will affect the final bullpen spot. As for the bench, it's a competition but Cave isn't viewing it that way.
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