Phillies' Whit Merrifield: Starting at second base Monday
Rotowire
Merrifield will start at second base and bat eighth in Monday's contest against the Giants, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Merrifield's playing time with the Phillies this season has been sparse, but he could see increased reps at second base over the next several weeks on days Bryson Stott slides over to shortstop to cover for the injured Trea Turner (hamstring). The 35-year-old has been solid in 2024 in his limited chances, putting up a .724 OPS with two home runs and three stolen bases across 53 plate appearances.
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Phillies' Whit Merrifield: Homers off bench Saturday
Rotowire
Merrifield went 1-for-2 with a solo homer and a walk in Saturday's win over the Giants.
Merrifield didn't start the game but entered in the third inning for the injured Alec Bohm (hip) and wound up going deep off reliever Erik Miller later in the contest. Bohm is expected to be fine, but Merrifield could potentially see more action at second base in the coming weeks if the Phillies decide to shift Bryson Stott over to shortstop some days to cover for Trea Turner (hamstring). Merrifield is slashing .250/.308/.417 with two home runs and three steals over 16 games this season.
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Phillies' Whit Merrifield: Cracks first homer
Rotowire
Merrifield went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-0 win over the White Sox.
Merrifield took Garrett Crochet deep to lead off the fourth inning, extending the Phillies' lead to 7-0. The homer was Merrifield's first hit since April 7 -- he'd gone 0-for-11 in his previous five games while seeing sparse playing time in the short side of a platoon with Brandon Marsh in left field. Merrifield is now slashing just .129/.182/.226 with a stolen base through his first 11 contests this season.
Phillies' Whit Merrifield: Drawing another start versus lefty
Rotowire
Merrifield is starting in left field and batting eighth for Monday's contest versus the Reds, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Merrifield wasn't in the lineup on Opening Day, but he's started each of the last three contests with the Phillies going up against three straight southpaws. Brandon Marsh is shifting over to center field while Merrifield plays left.
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Phillies' Whit Merrifield: Expected to get starts vs. LHP
Rotowire
Merrifield is not the lineup for Friday's game against Atlanta. However, with the Phillies set to face lefties Saturday and Sunday, Merrifield will likely be in the lineup, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson described Merrifield as effectively the baseball equivalent of a sixth man in the NBA. Merrifield seems confident that he will force the skipper's hand and end up as a regular, as he reportedly told Thomson before signing that he would work himself into the lineup. The 35-year-old Merrifield enjoyed a resurgence last season in Toronto and will be the top backup at several positions, at least for now.
Phillies' Whit Merrifield: Gets look at third base
Rotowire
Merrifield started Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins at third base, something he hasn't done in a regular-season game since 2016.
Merrifield may have had another year or two left as an everyday second baseman had he chosen to sign with a non-contender this winter, but his decision to sign with the Phillies means he'll have to prepare for a utility role. Just how often Merrifield finds himself in the lineup may depend primarily on the health and effectiveness of the Phillies' other options. Merrifield should start against most southpaws, in place of either Bryson Stott at second or Brandon Marsh in left field, but if he winds up featuring frequently against righties, it's probably because Johan Rojas played himself out of a starting role in center field. If that were to happen, the likely outcome would be Marsh in center with Merrifield in left in most games. As for the hot corner, that's Alec Bohm's spot, but Merrifield may now be the top backup.
Merrifield agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with the Phillies on Friday that includes an $8 million club option for 2025, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Merrifield may not have an everyday spot in the lineup with his new team, but he should still be able to garner regular playing time between the infield and outfield thanks to his versatility. The 35-year-old played in 145 games for the Blue Jays last season and had a .272/.318/.382 slash line with 11 home runs, 67 RBI, 66 runs and 26 steals. He could see plenty of early action in left field if Brandon Marsh (knee) isn't quite ready for Opening Day.
