MLB: Phillies Invite Odubel Herrera to Minicamp, Second Chance After 2019 Arrest

The Philadelphia Phillies have invited outfielder Odubel Herrera to a spring training minicamp, [...]

By John Newby

The Philadelphia Phillies have invited outfielder Odubel Herrera to a spring training minicamp, marking his potential return to the Majors after nearly two years. He was arrested in 2019 after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City. MLB suspended Herrera for 85 games, but he now has a second chance to return to the baseball field.

Herrera was charged with simple assault and knowingly causing bodily injury after allegedly leaving handprint markings and scratches on his girlfriend's neck. He was issued a summons to appear in court. His girlfriend declined to proceed with the case, resulting in the charges being dismissed. Herrera completed an anger management course and revealed that he and his girlfriend attended counseling sessions during his suspension. Now he will attempt to make the Phillies' Opening Day roster.

"The discipline for Odubel's 2019 incident was determined by the Commissioner's Office under the collectively bargained Domestic Violence Policy, which allows opportunities for redemption," the Phillies told TMZ Sports. The team said that it had consulted with domestic violence experts and determined that "zero tolerance" policies had the potential to do more harm and reduce reporting.

"We are encouraged by Odubel's efforts to strive for a better version of himself and to live by the values and personal conduct that his family, teammates, fans, and the great game of baseball demand," the team continued to explain. Now the Phillies will evaluate Herrera during spring training, which begins on Wednesday.

A 2016 All-Star, Herrera played center field for the Phillies for five seasons. Though the team removed him from the starting lineup in 2019 prior to his arrest. He reportedly struggled while hitting only .218 over a calendar year. The Phillies replaced him last season with three players — Adam Haseley, Roman Quinn, and Scott Kingery.

Herrera spoke to reporters in February 2020 for the first time since his arrest. He apologized for the incident and said that he wanted to turn the page and keep moving forward in life. He took full responsibility for the situation and noted that he was at the "lowest point" of his relationship with his girlfriend.

"What I can tell you about that night is that I'm very sorry," Herrera said in 2020. "We have had a very long relationship. Like every couple, sometimes you argue. Sometimes there are problems. But we've grown as a couple. We have a healthy relationship. We've learned from that."

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