CLEARWATER, Fla. — Phillies centerfielder Odubel Herrera on Tuesday said he was confident he would play in Grapefruit League games next week and be ready for the regular-season opener on April 4.
“Oh, yeah,” said Herrera, who on Tuesday missed his ninth straight game with a sore left middle finger.
Herrera had an X-ray last week. It was negative. He said he has a bone bruise on the inner aspect of the middle knuckle and while it still bothers him, it is getting better. He was able to participate in a bunting drill and later hit balls off a tee Tuesday. He is wearing a small protective sleeve over the knuckle.
"I think he should be ready in the next day or two," manager Pete Mackanin said. "He was checked by a doctor today and (head athletic trainer) Scott Sheridan said he's close to being ready."
It’s imperative that Herrera get in some games next week to get enough at-bats to be ready for the opener. If he ends up not being ready, it would be another blow to an outfield that has already been thinned by injury. Aaron Altherr is out for up to six months with a wrist injury that required surgery and Cody Asche is still iffy for opening day as he recovers from an oblique injury.
Asche took batting practice on Tuesday and put some stress on the injured area, but he’s not ready for game action.
“It’s not to the point where it’s hurt anymore,” Asche said. “It’s more where you’ve got to just get over mental hurdles. It’s like if you broke a foot and you wanted to go running. It’s going to take baby steps. It’s such a violent movement.”
MLB
Asche has not played in game action all spring. It seems likely that he will open the season on the disabled list so he can stay in Florida and get some playing time when the team heads north. Stints on the disabled list can be backdated nine days before the official league opener. So if Asche were placed on the disabled list Friday, which is nine days before the official opener, he could be eligible to return a week into the season.
The uncertainty surrounding Herrera and Asche has left the Phillies’ outfield situation unsettled less than two weeks before opening day. If Herrera is ready to go, he will join Peter Bourjos and possibly Tyler Goeddel in the opening day outfield. Non-roster players David Lough and Cedric Hunter are vying for reserve spots and the front office is monitoring other camps to see which outfielders become available.
Altherr returned to camp Tuesday, two weeks after having surgery to repair of torn ligament sheath and ligament damage in his left wrist. He had been the projected opening day rightfielder until suffering the injury diving for a ball early in the Grapefruit League season. The expected recovery time for Altherr’s injury is four to six months. Altherr vowed to be back before the season is over.
“Stuff like this happens and you just deal with it and move on,” he said. “I'm just trying to get back stronger and better than ever and get back playing before the season’s over.”