What Is Odubel Herrera Doing Now?

What Is Odubel Herrera Doing Now?

Odubel Herrera is back with the Philadelphia Phillies after being elected free agency.



The Phillies have addressed their center field void, at least in part, with the player who spent the most of last season there.

Odubel Herrera
Odubel Herrera

On a one-year, $1.75 million contract, the team has brought back Odubel Herrera.



In 2021, Herrera, 30, appeared in 124 games with the Phillies, 104 of them in center field. After the season ended, he became a free agent.

Leftfield and center field are the Phillies’ two most glaring outfield holes.

On Sunday, club president Dave Dombrowski stated that the center field vacancy may be filled by a squad. Matt Vierling, a rookie, might be one part of such a platoon, according to him.

Vierling is a right-handed batter. Herrera is a left-handed batter.

Herrera was a free agent in the fall after the Phillies paid him $2.5 million to buy out his $11.5 million contract option for 2022, which he had held for the previous seven years.

Herrera’s tumultuous relationship with the Phillies appeared to be ended at the time, but a need in center field, combined with expensive costs on the trade and free-agent markets, has put him back on the Phillies’ radar.

In 2016, Herrera was named to the Phillies’ All-Star team. In 2019, he received an 85-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.

He did not play during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season but returned last year to hit.260 in 124 games with 13 home runs, 51 RBIs, and a.726 OPS.