Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies rookie Odubel Herrera sparking second-half turnaround

Published Aug. 10, 2015 6:15 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Philadelphia Phillies took a gamble on Odubel Herrera in the offseason and the rookie center fielder is making it pay off lavishly.

Herrera has been instrumental in the Phillies' stunning second-half turnaround, running his hitting streak to 12 games as Philadelphia completed a three-game road sweep of the San Diego Padres over the weekend.

A Rule 5 draft pick in December, the 23-year-old Venezuelan showed plenty of promise but never played above the Double-A level in six seasons with the Texas Rangers.

Less than a year later, Herrera is looking like a mainstay for the Phillies, who own a major league-best 16-5 mark since the All-Star break after posting the worst record in baseball during the first half of the season.

"Every day that goes by I feel more confident," Herrera told reporters via a translator following Sunday's win. "I feel like I keep on learning what it is to be a big leaguer. I keep learning from all the different experiences."

Herrera has scored 14 runs during his hitting streak and swatted his sixth homer Sunday - one more than he ever hit in the minor leagues.

"He plays like his hair is on fire," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said.

(h/t MLB.com)