The Phillies added versatility and contact to the team.
Whit Merrifield and Philadelphia agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract to bring him to the Phillies. Confirmed by Jon Heyman of the Post..
The contract includes a club option for a second season. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports..
Merrifield played six different positions on the diamond during his career, becoming a valuable player on both sides of the ball.
The 35-year-old, a two-time All-Star with the Royals, struggled in 2022, but bounced back last season with the Blue Jays and earned his third All-Star selection.
Merrifield hit .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs as Toronto clinched the AL wild card spot.
It is also ranked in 82nd percentile whiff rate last seasonreached out to the Phillies to give them a batter who could limit their strikeouts in the bottom half.
Although primarily a second baseman early in his career, he played evenly between middle infield and outfield for the Blue Jays, appearing in 84 games as a second baseman in 2023 and just as many games as an outfielder.
Merrifield will likely play most of his time in the outfield, with Bryson Stott anchored at second base.
Although he batted just .259 against southpaws last season, he has a career OPS of .793 (111+) against southpaws, so he could give the Phillies a decent option against left-handed hitters. right.
The Phillies, who fell one game short of making their second consecutive World Series appearance last year, are now looking to reclaim the National League pennant in 2024.
