The 24-year-old right-hander was pounded for eight runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings Wednesday during a 12-10 loss to Atlanta, allowing a pair of two-run homers to Clint Sammons.
Kendrick, who has 21 regular-season wins as a starter since June 2007, is competing with Chan Ho Park, J.A. Happ and Carlos Carrasco to be the No. 5 starter.
"It's in my mind," Kendrick said of the competition. "Next time I just have to have better results."
Sammons, hitting .462 in spring training, homered in the second and fourth innings. He connected on a slider and a fastball.
"If we start the season and we're going to pitch with one pitch again, we're looking at June through September again," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said, referring to a slump that knocked Kendrick out of the rotation last summer. "He's got to get people off his sinker. That's what got him here, but he's got to start getting outs with his secondary pitches."
Kendrick has three starts left this spring, including Monday.
"I think every start is big," he said. "I got hit today. No excuses, nothing. I made mistakes, and they hit them. What are you going to do?"
John Mayberry Jr. hit his this home run of spring training in the fourth and hit a two-run double in a five-run fifth. He is batting .290 as he tries to earn a roster berth.
"I'm just letting them play," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said when asked about the handful of players battling for a bench spot. "We haven't even started talking about that yet. We're just putting them out there and letting them play."
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