Velasquez is tentatively slated to start Friday's game against the Braves, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The Phillies will reorder their rotation after taking the past week off due to COVID-19-related concerns following their season-opening series with the Marlins. As a result, Velasquez lines up to start the first game of the Phillies' homestand Friday, assuming no postponements before the weekend result in other starting pitchers getting pushed back. After the Marlins tagged him for four runs over three innings in his season debut July 26, Velasquez may need a bounce-back outing Friday just to maintain his spot in the rotation. Top pitching prospect Spencer Howard is waiting in the wings at the Phillies' alternate training site and should get a look in the big-league rotation at some point in 2020.