By Sam Bush
The Phillies have called up center fielder Odubel Herrera and he is in the lineup tonight in St. Louis.
Odubel Herrera will make his season debut tonight in centerfield for the Phillies in St. Louis
▪️Phillies lineup at Cardinals ▪️
Miller 7
Hoskins 3
Harper 9
Realmuto 2
Gregorius 6
Bohm 5
Herrera 8
Maton 4
Wheeler 1 https://t.co/oB4MTjE9d2 pic.twitter.com/Bk199fDsPw— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) April 26, 2021
Herrera, a 29-year-old who last appeared in the majors in 2019, was a standout with the Phillies earlier in his career, leading the team to sign him to a five-year, $30.5 million extension heading into the 2017 season. Two years later, though, Major League Baseball issued an 85-game suspension to Herrera for a violation of the MLB-MLBPA joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy. The Phillies outrighted Herrera in January 2020, and he was off their 40-man roster until today.
Center field has been an offensive wasteland, Herrera should provide a spark in center. The Phillies have divided playing time among Mickey Moniak, Adam Haseley and Roman Quinn, though they’ve hit a combined .114/.213/.177, which pales in comparison to Herrera’s lifetime .276/.333/.423 mark through 2,492 plate appearances.
The Phils also activated left-handers Jose Alvarado and Matt Moore from the injured list and optioned lefty Bailey Falter, righty Spencer Howard and Moniak .
The Phillies went the past week without Alvarado and Moore, whom they placed on the COVID list along with infielder Ronald Torreyes on April 19. None of those players tested positive for the virus.
