Phillies outfield plans: How they look heading into 2018
By John Town
Odubel Herrera
Bat flips, hustle issues be damned, Odubel Herrera is a standout player. Granted, his May was absolutely terrible, no doubt about that. However, since then, he is been impossible to stop at the plate.
Since June started, Herrera has a .339/.380/.578 line with eight home runs, 27 RBI, and 30 runs scored in 50 games. He has walked 12 times and struck out 46 in 205 plate appearances in that span. His net win probability added of 0.847 certainly helps, too.
Herrera is also locked in financially. Last winter, the team signed him to a five-year, $30.5 million extension with two team option years, keeping him in Philadelphia until potentially 2023. No one hands that kind of contract out to a player who they don’t think will be in town for long.
However, fans question Herrera’s issues with hustle and mental lapses. They cite that as a reason why the Phillies should trade him while they can, but what good can that do? We have lived with similar players in Philadelphia – see Jimmy Rollins – because they helped the team win. That’s exactly what Herrera can do, and he should have no problem staying in Philadelphia.