Phillies manager Gabe Kapler sets date for Jake Arrieta’s regular season debut

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Despite being in only his second full week with the Philadelphia Phillies, having signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the club on March 12, it appears that right-hander Jake Arrieta will hardly miss any time to start the 2018 regular season.

Following the Phillies' 4-1 road victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, manager Gabe Kapler announced that Arrieta's 2018 regular season debut will take place on Sunday, April 8, in a 1:35 p.m. start against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

The April 8 contest will be the club's eighth game of the season, suggesting they will go with a four-man rotation in the first go-around. The Phillies will start the season March 29-31 away against the Atlanta Braves, April 2-4 away against the New York Mets, and April 5 and 7-8 home against the Marlins.

In his 2018 Grapefruit League debut against the Tigers on March 22, Arrieta allowed a pair of runs (both earned) on three hits, a home run to Miguel Cabrera, and no walks while striking out two batters. Arrieta struck out his first opposing batter on three pitchers to start the outing. The right-hander will surely get one more spring look before camp breaks on Tuesday.

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