Joe Girardi said last weekend that he didn't want to jump to any conclusions in center field, but something may soon have to give for the Philadelphia Phillies at the position.
The Phillies were swept in a doubleheader by the New York Mets Tuesday, and the hole that the team currently has in center field was on full display.
In Game 1, Roman Quinn did reach base on a walk, but ultimately made the third out in the top of the fifth inning when he successfully stole third base, but tried to get up and keep running because he thought a throw from Mets catcher James McCann had gone into the outfield. It hadn't.
In Game 2, Adam Haseley went 0-2 and had a crucial misreading of a ball in the bottom of the fourth inning which allowed the Mets to extend the inning that ultimately doomed the Phillies chances of winning the game.
It is very early in the season, but expectations weren't high for the production in center field coming into 2021. To this point, the output has actually been even worse than anyone could have imagined. Quinn is hitting .059 with nine strikeouts in 17 at-bats. Haseley is hitting just .190, hasn't homered since the 2019 season and already has -1 defensive runs saved in 2021.
So is it already time for the Phillies to give another internal option a shot in center field?
"Right now, these are the guys that we have," Girardi said after the team's Game 2 loss on Tuesday. "Obviously there are guys down in Lehigh Valley that are trying to get up here. I think if we felt that they were ready, they would be here. But I don't think we feel that they are where they need to be."
The trio of Odúbel Herrera, Scott Kingery and Mickey Moniak are all at the Phillies satellite squad in Lehigh Valley currently. It's unclear if the team views all three as legitimate alternatives to Quinn and/or Haseley at this stage.
Herrera, of course, is a former All-Star that did hit four home runs this spring, but didn't get on base much outside of that. If not for his 2019 domestic violence arrest and suspension, Herrera might be with the Phillies already. But he hasn't played at the major league level in nearly two years now, and the Phillies have to weigh the undeniable public relations backlash that would come with giving the 29-year-old a second chance. Additionally, Herrera isn't on the 40-man roster currently, so the Phillies would have to subject someone - perhaps Quinn - to waivers to open up a spot for Herrera.
Girardi said last weekend that the Phillies didn't have a timeline for Kingery when he was optioned last month. He's working with minor-league hitting coordinator Jason Ochart in Lehigh Valley, but the Phillies haven't offered much in the way of a glimpse of when he may be recalled, other than saying they are happy with how his swing is progressing.
While fans may call most aggressively for former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak to get the next shot, the feeling here is that the Phillies would really like him to get some seasoning at Triple-A. Circumstances can change plans, but Girardi said last month that the Phillies wanted Moniak to be an everyday player when he next returned to the team. There's certainly an opportunity for someone to seize a full-time job in center field right now, but if the Phillies don't feel that the 22-year-old is ready to do that, they probably won't rush him.
It's hard to speculate on an exact timeline, but if things don't improve in the next few games, the Phillies may be forced to consider calling up either Herrera or Kingery. Frankly, there's nowhere to go but up in center field right now.
Still, the most likely conclusion at the position is that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will have to make an external addition if the Phillies hope to be legitimate contenders in the crowded National League East. Perhaps the Phillies don't need a star in center field, but they probably can't wait until late July to find better production than what they've received in the early days of the 2021 season.
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