PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Center fielder Odúbel Herrera is back on the Phillies' active roster for the first time since 2019, when he was suspended by Major League Baseball for violating its policy on domestic violence.
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Herrera's girlfriend had accused him of assault, but the charges were later dropped. The 29-year-old served an 85-game suspension and went the rest of 2019 and all of 2020 without playing a Major League Baseball game.
Prior to Tuesday’s game — speaking to the media for the first time since getting called up — Herrera said he is thankful for this second chance.
Herrera said he has undergone counseling, which continues sometimes through Zoom, and that his relationship with his girlfriend is really good right now.
"[Counseling] gave me a better sense of having way more responsibility, more patience, and how to be a better man," Herrera said through an interpreter.
But some Phillies fans are unhappy that he is getting this opportunity.
"I completely understand if some fans don’t like me," Herrera said. "I get that that’s gonna happen. Some fans will like me. Some fans will not like me, but all I can control right now is to keep working hard and do my best to gain their trust back."
The Phillies' next scheduled home game on Friday will be the first time Herrera plays in front of fans at Citizens Bank Park since his suspension. If there's a negative reaction, as expected, Herrera explained how he will handle it.
"I’m really gonna try to be locked in to help the team win," Herrera said.
"That’s gonna be my main focus, because that’s what we’re here for."
Despite this, there’s no denying that his return is forcing teammates, manager Joe Girardi and members of the front office to answer questions about welcoming him back into the clubhouse.
He expressed remorse about that.
"I don’t want to be a distraction to my teammates, or anyone in the organization. That’s why I am determined to show them that I am a changed man and that I’m gonna give my all. I’m gonna leave it all out on the field for them to win games."
The Phillies have greatly lacked production from center field this season. Given the way that position has struggled, and how Herrera was swinging at the alternate training site in Lehigh Valley, they selected his contract back to the 40-man roster.
They have had him start in center field the last two games, in which he hit 0-6. And he made an important game-ending catch on the warning track in Monday’s 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Whether fans like him or not, we’ll see how they react if Herrera makes a game-defining play that helps the Phillies add to their win total.