The Phillies announced a series of personnel moves on Monday afternoon:
The Phillies have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/xbfnoeUIqP
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 26, 2021
The biggest news is that Mickey Moniak has been sent back to the alternate site, and Odubel Herrera has been recalled. Herrera’s return to the majors comes almost two years after he was suspended for a domestic violence incident in May 2019. He was part of the competition to win the centerfield job in Spring Training, but after hitting a few early home runs, his play trailed off badly.
Moniak’s stint in the majors lasted just nine games. While he looked capable in the field and hit a home run, for the most part, he looked overmatched at the plate, and recorded a slash line of .120/.214/.240.
Jose Alvarado’s return should provide a boost to a bullpen which has struggled over the past week in the absence of its two main setup men. Before going on the injured list, Alvarado had appeared in six games, allowing just one run, while striking out ten in 5.2 innings.
As for how everyone will fit on the roster, Joe Girardi offered some clarification:
Girardi: Odúbel Herrera is the center fielder. "We just felt it was time." Vince Velasquez will likely start Wednesday; Matt Moore needs time. And … the team is stretching out Spencer Howard as a starter now. He's going back to Lehigh Valley.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 26, 2021
Vince Velasquez’s first start wasn’t any worse than any of Moore’s starts, and if he can turn in a decent outing, there may be the possibility that he can hold on to the spot for a little longer. As for Herrera, we’ll see if he can provide any on-field value at a center field position that has been nothing short of disastrous this season.