Whit Merrifield's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings
Player profile
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HT/WT6' 1'' , 195 lbs
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Birthdate01/24/1989 (34)
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CollegeSouth Carolina
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Draft InfoUndrafted
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StatusInactive
Philadelphia Phillies utility player Whit Merrifield will get the start in left field on Saturday opposite Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried. The veteran was said to get some playing time this weekend with the Braves facing lefties both Saturday and Sunday. With Johan Rojas winning the everyday center field job, Merrifield will be relegated to the short side of a platoon alongside Brandon Marsh in left field this season. The 35-year-old inked a one-year pact with the Phillies this winter after hitting .272 with 11 home runs and 26 steals across 145 appearances with the Blue Jays last season. He'll have his hands full against Fried who posted a 2.55 ERA across an injury-shortened 14 starts a season ago.
Philadelphia Phillies infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield was not in the starting lineup for the team's season opener on Friday against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, but with the Phillies facing lefties on Saturday and Sunday, Merrifield will likely be in the lineup, according to manager Rob Thomson. Merrifield told Thomson before signing in the offseason that, "I'll work myself into the lineup." The three-time All-Star hit .272/.318/.382 in 2023 with the Toronto Blue Jays with 11 home runs, 67 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 145 games in a bounce-back year. The short side of a platoon role in Philly hurts his overall upside for fantasy managers in deeper leagues, but Merrifield could be more efficient in 2024 if he's mostly facing lefties. He's a .289 career hitter in 526 games against southpaws.
Free-agent infielder Whit Merrifield agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, according to a source. The deal includes a club option for the 2025 season that will also be worth $8 million. Merrifield is now 35 and has been in decline since leaving the Kansas City Royals midway through the 2022 season, but he still managed to hit .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs, 67 RBI, 26 stolen bases and 66 runs scored in 145 games for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023. He's probably not going to have an everyday role in Philadelphia, but Merrifield should bounce around between second base and the outfield and can still provide some modest speed for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. Merrifield has always made consistent contact despite being aggressive at the dish.
Free-agent infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield is moving closer to making a decision on where he will play next, according to a source, and he's expected to agree to terms with a team by the end of the weekend. Merrifield's market has picked up in recent days, with five teams showing varying levels of interest in him. The 35-year-old veteran became a free agent when both he and the Toronto Blue Jays declined his mutual option for 2024 worth $18 million. He lost playing time down the stretch in 2023 while posting a .700 OPS, 11 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 592 plate appearances. Merrifield's production began to fall off in 2022, and he's no longer as much of a threat for fantasy managers in the batting average and steals departments.