Phillies Odubel Herrera: Second-half fantasy MVP

Phillies Odubel Herrera is quietly having the best season of his career and should be getting more attention in real life and fantasy.

We all know that there is no way that the MVP will come from the team likely to finish with the worst record and currently on target to gain the number one draft pick next season, but Phillies Odubel Herrera is putting together a very impressive stretch which is going unnoticed in many fantasy leagues.

In 2015, the 25-year-old produced one of the best seasons ever by a Rule 5 pick, slashing .297/.344/.418 in 147 games for the Phillies.

He repeated the consistent performance in 2016, with a .286/.361/.420 slash line, while hitting 15 home runs and swiping 25 bags.

And so to 2017, there was too much skepticism to push Herrera any higher than an ADP of 126.

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Despite the 15 HR and 25 SB season, fantasy owners could not justify drafting Herrera in the top 36 outfielders.

Yoenis Cespedes, Ryan Braun, Carlos Gonzalez, Starling Marte, A.J. Pollock, Mark Trumbo, Stephen Piscotty and Gregory Polanco were all taken significantly earlier than the Phillies’ centerfielder. Hindsight is a wonderful asset.

I know you can’t pick and choose which stats to include and which to ignore, but the Phillies’ center fielder had a dreadful May this season, striking out 30 times to just one walk. His .186 batting average and .453 OPS, both represented the worst month of his career.

But just look at his second half, the Venezuelan is the best player in the game according to Fangraphs.

He is hitting .380 with six home runs, two triples and nine doubles in just over 100 plate appearances.

The 16.7% strikeout rate is a career-low and slugging .717. As a comparison, the full season leaders of Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper are slugging .616 this year.

Herrera has posted an eye-watering 1.159 OPS, and he even has two stolen bases since the break.

Perhaps the most surprising statistic is that the 25-year-old is still available in one out of every three fantasy leagues. He is currently only owned in 55% ESPN leagues, 66% CBS and 67% Yahoo.

Don’t be deceived into thinking that Herrera’s lead at the top of the Fangraphs’ WAR table is mainly down to his defensive prowess. He is undoubtedly a great center fielder, with only Billy Hamilton and Ender Inciarte posting better metrics, but it is his offensive production that is making the Phillies’ outfielder so valuable since the All-Star break.

Without the reputation as a top prospect, and while he plays for a non-contending team, Herrera will struggle to get the recognition he deserves, although his eccentric skills were recently highlighted by homering off Braves’ pitcher Julio Teheran. It is said to be the lowest pitch ever to have been taken deep in the Statcast era.

Next: Phillies promote slugger Rhys Hoskins

The Phillies signed Herrera to a five-year, $30.5 million deal in December. It looks like that was money very well spent. He will be a fixture in the Phillies’ lineup for the rest of the season, so make sure you are not playing in one of the numerous leagues where he is unowned on waivers.