PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two years ago, Odubel Herrera's baseball future was bright. Now, Herrera is just happy to be back in the big leagues.
Herrera was suspended in the summer of 2019 after a domestic violence incident. He did not play during the 2020 season, and did not make the final cut for the roster after his time in spring training this year.
On Monday, Herrera received a call-up to return to the Phillies.
Manager Joe Girardi says Herrera understands the importance of his actions going forward, and has paid the price for his mistake.
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"He has done what Major League Baseball and the Players Association has asked him to do," said Girardi.
"It's what was mutually agreed upon, and he’s probably going to be held to a higher standard not with his production, but with his on and off-the-field actions."
While the Phillies believe Herrera deserves a second chance, the timing of his call-up appears to be more than a coincidence.
The Phillies have received little production from their centerfielders, and they are hoping Herrera can provide a spark in the outfield.
Girardi said Herrera needed some time to get his swing back and shake off the rust from his long absence.
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"I think our biggest concern when we left spring training is he had not had that many at bats in the last couple of years," Girardi said. "We were concerned about some inconsistencies."
Another important part of Herrera's return is his ability to settle back into the clubhouse with his teammates.
Girardi addressed the issue in spring training, so no speech was needed once Herrera got the call to return.
"During the last few months, there’s been conversations about it," said Girardi.
"But I didn’t feel like I needed to do a whole bunch because I think guys always knew the possibility was there."
Girardi also understands different teammates will have different feelings about Herrera's situation. Some teammates may be more forgiving than others.
However, Girardi is confident the Herrera situation will work out and will trust his players to handle the situation.
"I’m not going to ask each guy individually," Girardi said. "I feel pretty good about our team with this situation, and we’ll move forward."