The Phillies centerfield position was and still is the main focal point of the lineup thanks to four underperforming players this season. Throughout Spring Training, the Phillies organization spoke about second chances but at the same time, were hoping that some type of duo-combination featuring Scott Kingery, Adam Haseley, or Roman Quinn would emerge as the favorites to land the centerfield jobs in Clearwater. None of which actually happened and in return, opened the doors up for Odubel Herrera to land a spot on the roster at some point during the 2021 season.

The Phillies did everything they could to keep Herrera off the roster but through the first 21 games of the season, the centerfield position provided little-to-no production for the Phillies, who desperately needed to find their groove on offense. The team’s centerfielders hit .114/.213/.177 throughout the first 21 games and according to reports, the Phillies were considering Herrera almost a week ago before Mickey Moniak jacked a three-run home run last Wednesday, so they decided to wait.

• Adam Haseley: 2/18 .111 (April 1st, April 4th)
• Mickey Moniak: 3/22 (April 20th, 21st, 25th)
• Roman Quinn: 2/28 .065 (April 9th, April 23rd)
• Odubel Herrera: 0/3 .000 (April 26th)
• Totals: 7/71 .098

As a whole, the Phillies’ best talents in Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Zach Eflin, Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, and JT Realmuto have done their job in the early goings of the 2021 season. As we all know in baseball, you need to have a solid lineup 1-through-9 to be a winning baseball team and the Phillies do not, which is why the team is now stuck at 11-11 on the season and looking for other options in the outfield.

The bar is very low for Herrera thanks to the carousel of weak performances in centerfield. He went 0-for-3 in Monday’s 2-1 win in St. Louis. The Phillies are in an underperforming National League East and find themselves in second place behind the 9-8 New York Mets. Scott Kingery and his broken swing are certainly not ready to return to the Phillies any time soon. Adam Haseley has left the team for unknown reasons. Roman Quinn is hanging on by a thread thanks to his switch-hitting ability, and for the time being, Moniak will be granted the opportunity to play every day in the minor leagues.

Centerfield is now Herrera’s position to lose.

Herrera will certainly be under the spotlight for several reasons moving forward. Inside the clubhouse, the tone has changed for the Phillies. Rhys Hoskins said Herrera is welcomed, which wasn’t exactly certain back in Spring Training.

“Look, it’s been a couple years, right? And no one I think will condone what happened — even him, obviously. But I think after spring training and taking that head on, and kind of putting himself out there to the rest of the clubhouse, we have a pretty strong clubhouse that I think is going to be able to take care of what is going to come his way. Because there’s no telling what’s going to come, and I think he knows that. He’s prepared for it. But at the end of the day, he just wants to play baseball, man.”

Join our Phillies Discord

Follow us on Twitch

Listen to The Misery Report