Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski defends play of center fielder Odúbel Herrera: He’s ‘done OK for us’

ATLANTA — In the 17 months since Dave Dombrowski took over as president of baseball operations, the Phillies have the third-worst offensive production from center field.

At the season’s quarter pole, center field remains a weakness.

But as the Phillies opened a four-game series Monday night, Dombrowski defended the play of Odúbel Herrera, describing him as a “league-average” center fielder.

“I think you’re tough on Odúbel,” Dombrowski said. “Because if you look at his overall [numbers], where he is on some stuff, it’s not bad. It wasn’t bad last year. He was league average last year, really, defensively and offensively.”

The Phillies did attempt to upgrade at center field in the offseason before re-signing Herrera to a one-year, $1.75 million contract at the outset of spring training and intending to platoon him with rookie Matt Vierling.

Entering the week, Herrera was batting .243 with two homers and a .713 on-base-plus-slugging, better than league average among center fielders (.691). Vierling was back in triple A after an 8-for-47 start. Overall, the Phillies rank 27th in the majors with a .558 OPS from center field, better than only Atlanta, San Diego, and Oakland.

But Herrera is a notoriously streaky hitter and entered the week on a 3-for-23 slide. He wasn’t in the lineup Monday night against Braves left-hander Tucker Davidson. Roman Quinn, fresh off his dash to home plate in Sunday’s 10-inning victory, started in center field and threw out a runner at the plate in the first inning.

The Phillies are also accelerating Mickey Moniak’s minor-league rehab assignment from a broken bone in his right hand, a sign that they understand center field is an area that needs to be upgraded, as usual. And despite a terrific spring training that won him a spot on the opening-day roster, Moniak is 6-for-47 with 22 strikeouts in his brief major-league career.

“I’m not saying, ‘Hey, he’s going to be the starter,’ because I don’t even know what’s going to happen when the time comes,” Dombrowski said. “He’s another guy that we’re looking at.”

And Dombrowski refuses to look away from Herrera, whose tendency to swing at pitches out of the strike zone and mistakes on the bases have made him a frequent target of critics.

“Odúbel’s done OK for us,” Dombrowski said. “I will say, he’s a complementary player. He’s not a star. That’s how we look at him to be. You’re not going to have nine stars at different positions. You have to have some complementary players.

“If you look at his overall numbers, they’re actually not that bad. Check the defensive metrics, and they’re a lot better than what you think they are.”

Garrett Stubbs was easily the unsung hero from Sunday’s wild 10-inning, walk-off victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Not only did Stubbs hit his first major-league homer to draw the Phillies within a run in the sixth inning, the seldom-used backup catcher also went first-to-third on Quinn’s two-out single to right field in the 10th. It enabled Quinn to take second base and score the winning run when Dodgers second baseman Max Muncy booted a grounder.

“There were so many heads-up baseball plays that he made,” manager Joe Girardi said. “It’s probably as many as I’ve ever seen in a game. He just kept playing and kept fighting, blocking baseballs. He just did so many little things right that made a difference in that game.”

Stubbs also traded a bat and autographed ball to the 13-year-old fan in the bleachers in right-center who caught his home run. Stubbs said he plans to give the ball to his parents next month in San Diego when the Phillies play there.

“You only get to do it one time,” Stubbs said. “Good game to do it in, too.”

Stubbs will get another keepsake when the Astros present him with an American League championship ring before the Phillies play in Houston in October. Utility infielder Johan Camargo received a World Series ring Monday night from the Braves, who defeated the Astros last year.

Will Stubbs take a peek at Camargo’s new bling?

“I ain’t looking at that,” Stubbs said, laughing. “He’ll probably come show it to me at my locker.”

Injured shortstop Didi Gregorius will test his sprained left knee by taking batting practice Tuesday. “The hoop he has to get through is rotating on that back knee,” Girardi said. In Gregorius’ absence, rookie shortstop Bryson Stott was 4-for-31 with 11 strikeouts entering the week. ... The Phillies went 41 games before meeting the Braves, their longest stretch to begin a season since 2004. ... Kyle Gibson (3-2, 3.98 ERA) will start Tuesday night against Braves ace lefty Max Fried (4-2, 3.31).