Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera injured his right middle finger sliding headfirst into home plate recently. The club received good news, as X-rays came back negative, CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury reports. Herrera has been playing with the injury, but the Phillies aren’t concerned, per Meghan Montemurro of The News Journal. Still, it might be worth instructing him not to slide headfirst anymore.
Herrera, 24, was selected by the Phillies from the Rangers on the Rule-5 draft in December 2014. The Phillies moved him from second base to center field and he ended up having a tremendous season, batting .297/.344/.418 with eight home runs, 41 RBI, 64 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 537 plate appearances while playing superb defense. While Herrera wasn’t deserving of a top-three finish in National League Rookie of the Year balloting, he was undeservedly shut out entirely.
Herrera is off to a good start again this spring, as he’s racked up nine hits, including three doubles and a triple, in 23 at-bats.