Newcomb appears to be manager Brian Snitker's first choice for the No. 5 rotation spot, Gabriel Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

The southpaw served up two homers during Thursday's intrasquad game but still drew praise for his performance from Snitker, and with Cole Hamels potentially not up to speed by Opening Day, Newcomb's spot in the rotation appears fairly secure. He's still unlikely to toss five innings in his first turn or two, however, as the team plans to use a piggyback system at the back of its rotation.