By Sam Bush
The Phillies have invited 31 non-roster players to spring training, which opens this week in Clearwater.
One of them is Odubel Herrera, who is under contract through the end of the 2021 and due $10 million this season and has not appeared in a game since May 26, 2019.
He was suspended without pay for the remainder of the 2019 season for violating MLB’s policy against domestic violence, removed from the Phillies’ 40-man roster in January 2020 and was not a part of their 60-player pool last season.
Herrera, 29, was charged with assaulting his girlfriend in May 2019.
Though the charges were dropped, Herrera served the 85-game suspension in 2019.
Herrera was the Phillies’ center fielder from 2015 until his 2019 suspension.
He hit .288/.344/.430 in his first three seasons, then .207 with a sub-.280 on-base percentage from June 25, 2018 until the date of his suspension.
Herrera will compete for the Phillies’ center field job with Scott Kingery, Adam Haseley and Roman Quinn.
