Phillies find an ideal fit with 1-year deal for Whit Merrifield

For a large portion of the winter, the Phillies’ roster appeared to be lacking

one outfield player, and they were happy to let free agency run its course with so many intriguing players still available.

 

They did this in the hopes that the right player would come along, and on Friday,

outfielder and second baseman Whit Merrifield signed a contract with them.

According to NBC Sports Philadelphia, the agreement is for one year. According

to The Athletic, it is valued $8 million and has a 2025 club option.

Nick Castellanos secured his position in right field, Johan Rojas was assigned to

center field, and Brandon Marsh was the Phillies’ anticipated starting in left field

at the start of the winter. Although Rojas seems to have done his bit by working

hard in the cage all winter, the Phillies want him to prove offensive progress in

camp in order to earn the center field position. However, Rojas’ immediate

future will be determined by his on-field success.

 

How about a physical harm? And if Rojas fails to score? Marsh had arthroscopic

knee surgery on February 9 and is already about one month behind

schedule. Although he should be healthy for Opening Day, the injury brought

attention to the Phillies’ depleted outfield prior to the Merrifield trade.

Merrifield has long been a strong match for most teams, including the Phillies. Even at 35 years old, he is still a capable

baserunner, fielder, and batter. With the Blue Jays, he was an All-Star in the

previous season, hitting.272/.318/.382 with 26 stolen bases, 67 RBI, 11 home

runs, and 27 doubles. More so than his sheer speed, his superb leaps and

baserunning instincts have allowed him to lead the league in thefts three times.

 

Right now, it’s difficult to pinpoint Merrifield’s specific position. Merrifield might start the season as a super-

utilityman who starts three or four times a week at different positions if Rojas hits

well enough to start the Phillies’ season and everyone else is healthy. In addition

to first base, he can play all three positions.

Merrifield provides the Phillies with a reliable backup at four different positions, and if Rojas doesn’t work out

right away or suffers an injury, he might find himself starting every day.

Additionally, since manager Rob Thomson frequently chooses to split up

his lefties (Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, and Marsh), his

right-handed bat should help balance out the lineup.

 

This winter, the Phillies have been careful not to sign an outfielder to a

multi-year contract that would prevent Rojas from playing for a while.

Additionally, once camps opened in Florida and Arizona, they were unable to

guarantee 500 plate opportunities to the outfielders who were still seeking

employment. However, as the regular season approaches and spring training

approaches, Gamers desire clarity. They are interested in knowing where they

will be spending the next eight or nine months. The Phillies’ front office, led by

Dave Dombrowski and Sam Fuld, decided to wait for the ideal chance,

which paid off as they added a player who, on paper, perfectly fit their squad.