Numerous outlets are reporting that the Phillies will re-sign center fielder Odúbel Herrera to a one-year major league contract. Matt Gelb of The Athletic has the contract value: $1.75 million guaranteed with $750,000 in incentives. The number leaves the Phillies with approximately $32 million in luxury tax space before hitting the $230 million tax threshold.
The deal has not been officially announced by the team.
As Gelb previously reported, the Phillies are not planning on Herrera being a full-time starter. He’s likely to split time in center field with Matt Vierling as a platoon. Whether the team eventually sticks to that plan is another story to keep an eye on.
Herrera, 30, spent the majority of 2021 as the Phillies’ starting center fielder. He slashed .260/.310/.416 with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs. Statcast has Herrera at +5 outs above average in center field last season.
About half of his plate appearances came in the leadoff spot in which he posted a .287 on-base percentage. Ideally, the Phillies would like to find an upgrade in that spot.
In 2019, Herrera was arrested after assaulting his girlfriend at the Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City. His girlfriend, Melany Martinez-Angulo, declined to proceed with the charges and Herrera served a suspension for the remainder of the 2019 season. Herrera spent the last two years in minor league spring training and was called back up to the team in the beginning of the 2021 season. Herrera has spoken in the past about attending counseling sessions with Martinez-Angulo and donated money to the Pa. Coalition Against Domestic Violence.