Hearing from Rogers and Villar during today's game (updated)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Josh Rogers doesn't know whether the Orioles are viewing him as rotation material or a possibility for long relief. It won't change his pace and mission to get as many outs as he can and let the decision-makers wrestle with his role.

Rogers was charged with two runs this afternoon in 3 2/3 innings, the last on Drew Butera's single off minor leaguer Tanner Chleborad. He allowed five hits, walked none and struck out four.

Phil Gosselin homered off Rogers with one out in the second inning to tie the game 1-1. Two soft singles didn't hurt Rogers in the third.

The back end of the rotation has room for two pitchers with Nate Karns unlikely to break camp as a starter. Rogers won't go quietly - a nod to his production and vibrant personality.

Working quickly didn't cost Rogers his command. He threw 59 pitches today, 44 for strikes, and should have been back in the clubhouse with only one run on his line.

"I feel really good," he said. "I think I threw the ball better than probably my line will look. I felt really good, really comfortable. Slider was good today. Changeup, threw a couple good pitches with that. Felt really, really good."

Rogers has surrendered three runs and nine hits in 10 2/3 innings over five appearances, today marking his only start. His 2.53 ERA slots in nicely with the field of other candidates that includes Mike Wright (0.00 in 10 innings), David Hess (3.48 in 10 1/3 innings) and Yefry Ramirez (5.40 in 10 innings).

Getting back in a starter's frame of mind was liberating for Rogers, part of the return from the Yankees in the Zack Britton trade.

"Oh man, it's so much better," he said. "I felt like at home, just getting to go through the pregame routine that I'm normally used to and just everything. It feels really good to be back out there from the first pitch on."

Rogers was in sync all day with veteran catcher Jesús Sucre, making his second start with the Orioles. Sucre put down the fingers and Rogers complied.

"I told him before the game, I was joking, 'I'm not shaking today. I'm not going to mess with that,'" Rogers said. "I executed some pitches and he even told me that home run I gave up was a good pitch. That guy was probably looking for it. So just continue to get better and keep going."

Perhaps all the way to the Bronx for opening day.

"I hope they're thinking about it," he said, "but I wouldn't say I've earned anything. Just to continue to throw and, hopefully, I get another shot at it and they can see what I can do."

Jonathan Villar singled in his first two at-bats, stole second base in the third inning and scored on Aaron Nola's wild pitch - the trademark slider eluding catcher Drew Butera - to break a 1-1 tie.

DJ Stewart had a broken-bat RBI single in the first that also scored Villar. Stewart was 6-for-26 before the at-bat. He also doubled during a two-run sixth that tied the game 5-5.

Villar, starting at second base today, also reached on an error before exiting. He stole two bases, feasting on the aggressive directives in camp.

"I love it a lot," he said. "That's my game. I played like that when I played in Little League. I don't know what's going on when they stay on the base. I feel like I need to run. I feel like being very aggressive on the bases."

Villar led the majors in stolen bases with 62 in 2016 while playing for the Brewers. He doesn't have a set specific number in mind this season beyond "more than 40."

Not 62 again?

"I'm thinking more," he said, smiling.

The day began with Villar collecting only two hits in 20 at-bats. He admits that he isn't ready for the season to start, but he's getting much closer. How he's using his hands and controlling his body's movement.

"In a couple more days I'll feel ready," he said.

Villar is expected to be the starting second baseman while Rule 5 pick Richie Martin gets first crack at the shortstop job. The Orioles also are expected to carry Drew Jackson, another Rule 5 player, and could keep veteran Alcides Escobar.

"I'll play anywhere," Villar said. "I like shortstop, but right now I'm playing second base, so for me it's the same game. Only at second base I have to go down, take it easy, because you don't need to throw it too hard to first base."

Asked about playing alongside Escobar today, Villar said, "I feel good at second base because he's a good guy and he's played for a long time at shortstop, so I need to respect that guy because he's played for a long time."

Consecutive doubles by Stewart and Joey Rickard in the sixth reduced the Phillies' lead to 5-4 and Yusniel Diaz tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Escobar had an RBI double in the fourth after Rickard's leadoff single.

Miguel Castro struck out two batters in a scoreless fifth after surrendering a leadoff double to Sean Rodríguez and he hasn't allowed a run or walked a batter in five innings. Paul Fry retired all six batters he faced after replacing Castro, but Pedro Araujo has allowed three runs in the eighth to give Philadelphia an 8-5 lead.

Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run homer after Jonthan Guzman's RBI double.

Here's manager Brandon Hyde following an 8-5 loss:

On Rogers: "I thought we had a lot of guys throw the ball well. He gave us three-plus good innings. Just kind of got some unfortunate luck there in the fourth, but same Rogers he's been where he's changing speeds and attacking hitters and working with a great tempo and keeping guys off-balance. Showcased some good stuff. I thought he pitched really, really well.

"Fry was really good, (Branden) Kline was good there at the end. Castro was throwing 98 with a nasty slider. I thought we did a lot of really good things today, especially the first six or seven innings."

On Kline: "It looked like his velo was up right there. Started a couple guys off with some good sliders. Yeah, I thought he pitched well. Quick inning."

On Araujo: "He kind of gave up a spring training wind-aided home run there. Didn't make a play at third. I thought he threw some good changeups. Kind of battled through that inning, but he's got that plus-changeup that can really keep guys off-balance. And when he went to it after the first couple of hitters they had some poor swings off him."

On Villar's aggression on basepaths: "I think Villar, that's his game anyway. When I saw him in Milwaukee he was really aggressive on the bases and was always a threat to steal. I knew he was already like that coming in. That's his game and we're going to keep encouraging him to put pressure on the defense and run at good times. I like his aggressive nature on the bases and we're going to continue encouraging him to do it."