5. Odubel Herrera
Talk about inconsistency… Odubel Herrera is the post child for inconsistency after an MVP-caliber start to a season in which he’s fizzled out.
Herrera hit .343 in his first 27 games and .313 through the month of May, but since then he’s completely fallen off. Since June 1 Herrera is hitting .230 averaging nearly a strikeout per game. Never mind the countless miscues in center despite being a Gold Glove candidate last year and his brain farts running the bases.
Had Herrera continued to hit even .280 throughout the year we might not be talking about him as a disappointment. To see his batting average drop as drastically as it has deflates the hope that he was a piece of the future along with Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins.
The lack of doubles is troubling after he hit 42 last year and hasn’t reached 20 this year.
There is a power surge, but the Phillies would gladly give up some of Herrera’s 21 home runs for more doubles and runs batted in.
Herrera has simply been a shell of himself since his 45 game on-base streak to start the season. Whether he was drained after that streak or is trying too hard is something we will never know.
At the moment it looks like Roman Quinn is pushing for Herrera’s starting job in center, which could be a sign the organization is moving forward without El Torito. He’s under a guaranteed contract through 2021 with two years of team options after that, and the money isn’t crazy enough to scare teams with about $23 million guaranteed remaining before the option years.
With Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley in the minors the Phillies could move Herrera and stick with Quinn for the near future with the hope that one of their two first round picks emerges as a star.