Benoit: ‘Everything is fine’ with manager

WASHINGTON >> The Phillies were first last week in attempting to douse a potentially destructive clubhouse situation.

By Saturday night at Nationals Park, Joaquin Benoit did the same.

It was Benoit who chased a difficult homestand with sharp criticism of the Phillies’ coaching staff. Among the 39-year-old relief pitcher’s assertions was that he was too seldom used in a regular role.

By Thursday, when the Phillies formally picked up the 2018 option on Pete Mackanin’s contract, the manager said he’d spoken with Benoit, expressing understanding about his frustration. With their game Friday against the Washington Nationals rained out, the Phils finally had their first chance Saturday to play since Benoit’s mini-outburst.

Before a 6-4 loss to the Nats, Benoit essentially closed the issue.

“The whole thing the other day was cool,” he said. “It’s just sometimes things are said not the way we wanted to say it. But everything is fine.”

That includes Mackanin’s bullpen rotation, which by Saturday had been cleared for a fresh start following two days off.

“I’ve always had the guys that I’ve wanted, but being forced to use them in different innings has been the issue,” Mackanin said. “(Pat) Neshek and (Joely) Rodriguez somewhere in the sixth or seventh. (Edubray) Ramos and Neshek, the sixth, seventh, in there. And then Benoit and (Hector) Neris. That’s what I’d like to do.”

When Nick Pivetta sputtered in the fifth Saturday, Mackanin went to Luis Garcia, who pitched through the sixth. Rodriguez and Neshek shared the seventh. Benoit entered in a 4-4 game and pitched a perfect eighth. Ramos made it through two outs in the ninth before allowing a two-run, walk-off homer to Bryce Harper.

“The plan was to locate a fastball down and away,” Ramos said. “That’s what I tried. But it didn’t happen.”

Mackanin tried with his bullpen rotation, saving Hector Neris for a potential save situation. That didn’t happen, either.

“At some point,” the manager said, “I’ve just got to bite the bullet and go with something.”

As soon as Aaron Nola (back) finishes one more rehab start with Class AAA Lehigh Valley, Nick Pivetta likely will be returned to the minors.

Pivetta made an early case Saturday to stick around, but stumbled in the four-run Nationals fifth, wasting a 4-0 lead.

“I like his stuff,” Mackanin said before the game. “He’s got a plus fastball. Pitching is pitching, locating your pitch and making quality pitches. If he does that, he’s got major-league stuff.”

Pivetta lasted 4⅔ innings, allowing five hits, walking four and striking out five Saturday. Of his 92 pitches, 50 were for strikes.

“I don’t think the walks were really a big problem,” Pivetta said. “I think they were choice walks in some pretty good situations, except for the last one. I am not too focused on the walks.”

Mackanin said Pivetta will have at least one more start, most likely Thursday afternoon in Texas against the Rangers.

Pivetta had his first major league hit in the fifth Saturday, a single to center. He scored on a Tommy Joseph double.

Odubel Herrera was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.

“He said his leg was tight,” Mackanin said. “It’s been tight. But he’s healthy. He’s not complaining about it. But he mentioned it.”

NOTES >> The Phils and Nats will play twice Sunday. At 1:05 p.m., Jeremy Hellickson (4-1, 3.49 ERA) will face left-hander Gio Gonzalez (3-1, 2.64). In the second game of the day-night doubleheader at 7:05, it will be Vince Velasquez (23, 5.94) and right-handed Max Scherzer (4-2, 2.59). … The Phils are off Monday. Jerad Eickhoff, Zach Eflin and Pivetta will pitch in the three-game series at Texas. … Because of the rescheduled doubleheader, the Phillies plan to invoke baseball’s 26th-man rule and activate an additional player for the day. Mackanin refused to reveal that player until Sunday. … The Phils wore special Mother’s Day uniforms, gray with a trace of pink.

“The whole thing the other day was cool. It’s just sometimes things are said not the way we wanted to say it. But everything is fine.” — Phillies’ Joaquin Benoit