Herrera Back With Phillies, Muzziotti Sent Down

Odúbel Herrera has returned to the Philadelphia Phillies after beginning the season on the injured list with an oblique strain.

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The Phillies have reinstated OF Odúbel Herrera from the 10-day IL and optioned OF Simón Muzziotti to Reading (AA).

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 22, 2022

It seems the Philadelphia Phillies' original center field platoon plan will take effect at some point in the near future, as the club announced that Odúbel Herrera has been reinstated from the injured list.

After Mickey Moniak made the Opening Day roster following a spectacular spring training, he was dubbed for the center field platoon with Matt Vierling. Then, he got hit on the hand in the final spring training contest vs. the Tampa Bay Rays on April 6, leaving him sidelined for at least six weeks.

In came Simón Muzziotti from the minors. During his time with Philadelphia, he picked up his first major league hit and made a couple of solid defensive plays in center field.

But now, Muzziotti will return to Double-A with the Reading Fightin' Phils as Herrera makes his return to the Phillies' roster, thus allowing for the team's first platoon pairing to battle it out in the lineup and on the field.

Perhaps the return of Herrera can bring some stability to the center field position, as Vierling has slashed just .172/.242/.207 with four RBI in 33 plate appearances, and Muzziotti batted just .143 in nine games. Although, that can't really be held against Muzziotti as he wasn't major league-ready and simply filled in Moniak's spot.

While rehabbing with Clearwater and Lehigh Valley in 2022, Herrera batted .281 with a .678 OPS and three RBI across 33 PAs. Last season with the big league club, the 30-year-old slashed .260/.310/.416 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI. A .310 OBP is not nearly good enough for the leadoff spot, which Herrera was slotted in 64 times in 2021.

It's currently unclear whether Herrera will see game-action this weekend. Hopefully, Manager Joe Girardi opts to place Herrera where he's been batting the center field position—in the eighth or ninth spot in the lineup. 

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