Odúbel Herrera (right oblique strain) has been activated from the injured list, according to the Phillies. He’ll be available to play Friday against the Brewers and should get a chance to start primarily against right-handed starting pitchers. In a corresponding move, Simón Muzziotti was optioned to Double-A Reading.
Herrera, 30, was re-signed to a one-year, $1.75 million deal during spring training. The original plan was to platoon him with Matt Vierling in center field, but the injury meant that he would start the season on the IL.
There will be pressure on Herrera to get off to a relatively decent start in center field. Mickey Moniak, thanks to some adjustments made on and off the field and a stellar performance in spring training, emerged as a viable alternative to Herrera, but was dealt an awful break when he was hit by a pitch during his last at-bat of spring training. Unlike Moniak and Vierling, Herrera will have the upper hand because he cannot be optioned to the minor leagues.
The Venezuela native spent a good portion of last season as the team’s primary leadoff hitter. Considering his struggles last season as a No. 1 hitter and Joe Girardi quickly moving away from the left-handed hitting Kyle Schwarber as the leadoff hitter, it’s unlikely that Herrera reclaims that spot in the batting order.
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