Phillies outfielder Adam Haseley suffered a moderate groin strain and will miss the next four weeks, manager Joe Girardi told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Athletic). Haseley had been in competition for the season-opening center field job.
With Haseley now likely to open the season on the injured list, it seems Philadelphia will pick from a group of Scott Kingery, Roman Quinn, Mickey Moniak and non-roster invitee Odúbel Herrera in center. Kingery has shown flashes as a super-utility type over the past three seasons but is coming off a .159/.228/.283 line in 2020. Even if he gets the majority of starts in center, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him continue to get reps on the infield, where he’s played each of second, third and short rather extensively (although he played almost no shortstop in 2020). Quinn hasn’t hit much at the big league level, often missing time due to injury, but he’s a generally well-regarded defender. He’s also out of minor-league options, meaning he needs to break camp with the team or be exposed to other clubs.
Turning to either Moniak or Herrera would be more surprising. Moniak, the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, has been a decent but unspectacular minor-league performer. In his most recent action on the farm, he slashed .252/.303/.439 at Double-A in 2019. Herrera, meanwhile, once looked like a potential building block for the organization, signing a $30.5MM extension after a 2016 All-Star season. His production dipped in 2018 and he was terrible early in the 2019 season before being suspended as part of the league’s domestic violence policy. Herrera was removed from the 40-man after that year and hasn’t played in MLB since then. Nevertheless, he’s in spring training and has seemingly put himself back in the mix with a promising start there.
One option down for now. I’m thinking Quinn/Herrera with Kingery subbing all over the field
And that platoon will last the week until Quinn is injured again …
Oh man, now we’ll have to see Kingery and Segura play 3 different positions 5 days a week.
The words “Groin” and “strain” should never, ever be used together in a sentence. I feel for the guy. Hope he improves.
How about rupture and groin like Nomar Garciaparra in 2005? That looked painful!
I never thought we’d see Odubel Herrera out in center field for the Phillies again, but it’s looking more and more possible with each passing day now.
Ricky Otero is busy
FAKING!!!
Has he been training with Scott Rolen?
>99% recovery rate for groin strains and certain other ailments. Just imagine how many minor groin strains aren’t even confirmed, and we’re up to >99.5% recovery rate.
So is Mickey Callaway.
…come to think about Mickey might be out a little more than 4 weeks.
Different kind of groin strain…
Disappointing as he’s been showing promise, but luckily there are options. None particularly great, but I think they’ll be fine.
I feel like Haseley never got a fair shake and Quinn should probably be a pinch runner at this point. Quinn has balls hit over his head way too much in center, it’s embarrassingly bad at times.
There were points last season where Quinn and Haseley really hit. I like Hase as their best option, but Quinn has the best range as a CF.
He’ll be ripping or straining something this weekend.
he gets cast as a platoon guy but they never give him the ABs vs LHP to prove he can hit both. one notes he still hasnt played loads above AA and was rushed to the Majors some.
Jackie Bradley Jr. would have fit in nicely. On wait, he just signed with the Brewers.
Really? Our options are just as good and a heck of a lot cheaper.
jUsT aS gOoD….
I’m honestly fine with the competition they have currently. Odubel and McCutchen both come off the books next year and with that money we can finally add one more solid starter and fix CF if no one from this group decides to step up.
Agreed. If the Phillies splurged, I’d rather it be on more pitching. I’m okay with the CF competition this year.
Bradley was a perfect fit. Great D and another lefty bat. I thought for sure Dombrowski would go for his former CF. Maybe Cutch can move to center temporarily but he probably doesn’t have the range for it anymore.
PHI has a good problem: Five young CFs. I’m rooting for Mickey Moniak. Odubel Herrera and Roman Quinn aren’t good defenders. I haven’t seen enough of Scott Kingery.
If Dave Dombrowski had a weakness, I think that DD didn’t place a strong value on defense, RPs or finesse pitchers. He valued SP power pitchers and hitters. Its different now because he’s teaming with Joe Girardi who has an exceptional talent with youth and balanced rotations. Girardi’s 2006 Marlins were the all-time-rookie team and his Yankee rotations weren’t the greatest but he offset the rotation with different pitching styles each night.
Nick Markakis is still available.
Does Herrera not being on the 40 man mean his salary is not currently counted against the tax line? If so, will that complicate his chances even more?
No his money counts which is why they never totally cut bait with him.
If he hits ODub will be here. Mickey in AAA
It counts against it either way. They changed that rule after Rusney Castillo
And then there were 4……
Odubel is gonna make this team fellas.
Honestly, did anyone expect Herrera to be blacklisted for life?. He served his suspension and must be doing whatever else was ordered of him that he is getting the chance to make the team. Aroldis Chapman, Jose Reyes, Roberto Osuna, Domingo German, Jeurys Familia, Julio Urias, all have been suspended for the same issue and all have been welcomed back. Odubel should at least get the same chance.
its more a matter of if he gets the 2nd chance with this team. im not going to rant if someone else picked him up and id actually kinda like grabbing Osuna when he comes back. I just dont want Odubel to get his 2nd chance here. let it be elsewhere. that said, id Girardi thinks the team will be fine with it and thinks it’s best for him to be with them for it, then ill willingly yield.
No idea why the Phillies didn’t go out and get Pillar. Their lux-tax situation is only $12M under but they could have been creative.
Haseley (getting up from video games in clubhouse): Okay guys, gotta do my warm-ups.
Herrera: Warm-ups? Are you some kind of wussy?
Moniak: Yeah man, that is some wimp stuff.
Haseley: Really?
McCutcheon: Nobody does that stuff. Except for losers.
Haseley: Hmmm
Go with Moniak