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Cameron Perkins bumps Odubel Herrera from Phillies' leadoff spot

Herrera came to the plate 231 times from April 19 to June 20 and drew just five walks.

Odubel Herrera was moved down in the Phillies’ lineup Wednesday as his on-base percentage continued to lag from last season’s pace.
Odubel Herrera was moved down in the Phillies’ lineup Wednesday as his on-base percentage continued to lag from last season’s pace.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

When Pete Mackanin wrote Cameron Perkins' name atop his 70th lineup, it was less about a new look at the young outfielder and more about Odubel Herrera.

Herrera has come to the plate 236 times since April 19 and drawn more intentional walks (three) than unintentional walks (two). He extended a five-game hitting streak Wednesday, but Mackanin still moved Herrera to sixth in the batting order.

He delivered with a two-run double in the first inning, but haphazardly ran through a stop sign in the ninth inning.

"I can't have a leadoff hitter swinging at that many pitches," Mackanin said. "So I'm going to move him down there."

Herrera walked eight times (none of them intentional) in his first 53 plate appearances this season. When Cesar Hernandez went on the disabled list, Mackanin bumped Herrera to the top of the lineup with the hopes of triggering Herrera's plate discipline.

Last season, in his first 67 games, Herrera boasted a 13.8 percent walk rate. That figure has dipped to 4.5 percent in 2017.

He is a less productive player without the walks. It is not a recent trend; Herrera, in the last 365 days, owns a 5.6 percent walk rate. That will disappoint a front office that has placed high importance on a hitter controlling the strike zone and one that signed Herrera to a $30.5 million contract before the season.

Perkins ranked third in the International League in on-base percentage and batted up and down Dusty Wathan's lineup at triple-A Lehigh Valley. He'll have a chance to prove his worth atop the Phillies' lineup. He collected two hits, his first in the majors, in Wednesday's defeat.

"I'm going to play him quite a bit," Mackanin said.

Signing their top picks

The Phillies expect to sign all of their first 10 draft selections, scouting director Johnny Almaraz said. They agreed to under-slot deals with second-round pick Spencer Howard, eighth-round pick Jhordany Mezquita and ninth-round pick Jack Zoellner. Some of those savings will go toward signing fifth-round pick Ethan Lindow, a lefthanded prep pitcher who was committed to Alabama-Birmingham.

Almaraz expected to strike a deal with 11th-round pick Jake Holmes, a prep shortstop. Holmes was committed to Arizona State.

Extra bases

Maikel Franco entered the day tied for the major-league lead in double plays (13) while Tommy Joseph had hit into 12. The club record for double-play groundouts in a season is 25, done by Ted Sizemore in 1977 and Del Ennis in 1950. Both Franco and Joseph hit into potential double plays in the first inning Wednesday, but St. Louis could not convert them. … The Phillies have another shot at Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez in Thursday's series finale. Martinez struck out 11 Phillies in a shutout at Busch Stadium earlier this month.