Herrera injury opens center field job, but Phillies have a preferred candidate

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CLEARWATER, Fla. -- For the second straight year, the Phillies' center field job is wide open.

Odubel Herrera, recently brought back to at least platoon in the spot, has been experiencing soreness in his right ribcage/oblique. Manager Joe Girardi on Tuesday said the issue would require some advanced diagnostics and he indicated that Herrera was behind schedule enough that his status for opening day is in question. The opener is 17 days away.

Asked directly if he considered the center field job an open competition, Girardi said, "Yes."

Girardi then quickly expressed confidence in one of the candidates while appearing to close the door on a very notable player in camp.

"I really believe that (Matt) Vierling has a chance to take this and run with this," he said.

Asked if Mickey Moniak, drafted as a center fielder with the first overall pick in 2016, would get a look for the job, Girardi said, "I don't think so. That's not something we've brought up." Moniak has only played corner outfield spots this spring.

Center fielders Simon Muzziotti and Johan Rojas are still in big-league camp -- Muzziotti got the start against Detroit on Tuesday -- but both need more time in the minors. 

Herrera's uncertain status could open a spot for Adam Haseley to make the opening day roster for the second year in a row. Girardi acknowledged that Haseley is in the competition and will get looks at the position as camp continues. Like Moniak, Haseley is a former first-round pick. He left the team for personal reasons last April but came back and played in the minors.

It's not out of the question that the Phillies look for center field help outside the organization. However, they are genuinely intrigued with Vierling's upside and are committed to giving him a serious opportunity to be the regular guy. Entering camp, he was slated to be part of a platoon at the position with Herrera.

Vierling, 25, played his college ball at Notre Dame and was a fifth-round draft pick of the Phillies in 2018. Since joining the organization, he has impressed with his athleticism, versatility and ability to produce hard contact at the plate. He played in 34 games for the Phillies last season and hit .324 with three doubles, a triple, two homers and an .843 OPS. Vierling played center field in college. He's played all three outfield positions in the minor leagues but just 53 games in center field. He made six starts for the Phils in center field last season.

Defense, outfield and infield, was a huge weakness for the Phillies last season -- Fangraphs ranked the team last in the majors at minus-54 defensive runs saved -- and recent additions Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos are not strong defenders. Both, however, swing potent power bats, which could help the Phillies out-slug some of their defensive flaws.

Girardi believes the defense will be better if the Phillies simply make the plays that should be made.

"There's a lot of teams that do very well in the playoffs that don't have plus-plus range everywhere," he said. "The important thing is to secure the baseball. Catch the balls and field the balls that you're capable of fielding. If you do that, your defense is going to be fine. It's the extra baserunners on plays that we should make, to me, that kills a team. It adds pitches to your starter. It increases the workload of your relievers because the starters can't go as long. Sometimes you have to use your eighth-inning guy on a night that you maybe wouldn't use him because you kicked the ball around. If we secure the balls that we're supposed to, our defense is going to be just fine."

Castellanos was due to arrive in Clearwater sometime Tuesday and work out with the club on Wednesday. He is primarily a right fielder and has little experience in left field. The Phillies, of course, have National League MVP Bryce Harper in right field. Castellanos will see some time at DH. Girardi said he would speak to Castellanos to gauge his comfort level in left field. He added that Harper would not see time in center field.

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