Report: Merrifield inks one-year, $8M deal with Phils
Published
The Philadelphia Phillies have signed infielder Whit Merrifield to a one-year contract worth $8 million, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman reports.
The deal comes with an option.
The 34-year-old started the 2023 season with the Toronto Blue Jays as a bench bat, but his hot start in April quickly pushed him to a regular role in the lineup, and he finished the season with a .272 batting average and 11 home runs in 145 games played.
His season numbers were bolstered by a scorching-hot July in which he hit .356 with seven HR in 22 games. But, like many other hitters on the Blue Jays roster, he played poorly down the stretch, hitting just .211 with two home runs in the final two months of the year.
Merrifield provided value to the Blue Jays in the field with his versatility, as he made 84 appearances at second base and another 84 in the outfield through the season.
Merrifield joins his third MLB team in his ninth season after spending his first seven years with the Kansas City Royals, and the last year and a half with the Blue Jays.
The three-time All-Star has made 15 appearances as a first baseman, 718 at second, six at third and 365 in the outfield in his lengthy career.
In 1,052 career MLB games played, Merrifield has a .284 batting average with 90 HR, 470 runs batted in and 201 stolen bases. He led the major leagues in steals in 2018 with 45.