Even though the Phillies were relatively inactive as free agents through December and most of January after re-signing Aaron Nola, they weren't ignoring reasonable opportunities.
They had their eye on Whit Merrifield early on. They were known for pursuing Jordan Hicks, one of the top relievers on the market. There are strong indications that they have made a huge offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with owner John Middleton confirming as much to the Inquirer this week.
Hicks' situation took a surprising turn when a talent-depleted Giants team offered him a starting role. Yamamoto clearly wanted to play for the Dodgers. Although the Phillies ultimately didn't sign either player, this pursuit shows two more signs of how aggressive the Phillies are to complete the job, which they came close to completing in 2022 and 2023. It became an example.
It's equally offensive to spend $8 million on a player who might not play every day, but Merrifield fits in so many ways. Hicks, 27, and Yamamoto, 25, have touted their ability to help now and in the future, and their contracts reflect that, but Merrifield's move provides short-term insurance, protection, and focuses on the simple fact that you need more than 9 people. A capable everyday position player in the Universal DH era.
The Phillies could use Merrifield in a variety of ways — in center field if Johan Rojas can't hit, in left field if Brandon Marsh struggles with one-handed pitching, or in tough Bryson Stott. If he sits as a left-handed pitcher, he can be used as a second baseman, and if he sits as a left-handed pitcher, he can be used as a first baseman or DH. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have never been out of the lineup. Merrifield is also a right-handed hitter off the bench, and while he's obviously not a hard hitter, he's a guy who can provide quality at-bats. Jake Cave came to bat in the 9th inning of the 2023 National League CS Games 4 and 7, and the Phillies lost by one and two runs. You never know when you're going to need a number 10 or a player in his number 11 position.
“He's probably a player we've had our eye on for a long time and one of the names we've identified as being a good fit for us this year,” President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said of Merrifield. .
“We were initially concerned about whether he would accept the role we would have at the club. That was the first thing. Then, early in the winter, they asked for a multi-year contract. “But we wanted that.” “We're not ready to make that type of deal. And I can say that we've gotten better over the last week or so. Between his agent and I. We had a lot of back and forth. He was always a name that appealed to people.''We didn't know if this was going to work out. ”
The Phillies didn't want to block Rojas now or in the future, so they didn't offer any outfielders multi-year contracts. The Merrifield deal accomplished the goal of adding insurance without taking too much away from Rojas. If Merrifield were to take AB away from Rojas, it would be because Rojas didn't hit hard enough.
Merrifield's ability to fill in for Marsh and Stott against difficult southpaws would have been a natural addition if the terms of the contract matched.
“It certainly protects us in that regard,” Dombrowski said. “I was actually more comfortable than most that if (backup outfielder) Christian Pache was against a left-handed pitcher, he'd be fine because he's also a very good defensive player. But Merrifield definitely brings more offense in that situation. “It protects us a little bit, not just if (Rojas) is out, but if he's out and I If we get injured, Merrifield can protect us in a variety of positions.”
Merrifield is an interesting story. He had a standout career at the University of South Carolina, but was a ninth-round pick and was never considered a top prospect. He slowly worked his way through the Royals' minor league system, and things didn't really click until his age-25 season in Triple-A. He was 27 years old when he made his major league debut and performed much better at the highest level than in the minors. .
In 2017, his first full season, he hit a career-high 19 home runs and led the American League in stolen bases. He then led the majors in hits in 2018 and 2019 and recorded a double in 2021. His production dipped in 2022, and he was traded to Toronto for far less than what he got back in the previous five years. For the first time in his major league career, he was no longer an everyday player, starting only 34 of Toronto's final 57 games.
Merrifield returned to day-to-day duties with the Blue Jays last season, starting 137 games and appearing in 592 at-bats. The Phillies should be able to keep him fresher.
“He's a winner. I think for a good club like ours, when you can add a veteran to the bench that you know will not fall apart in tough situations, you can do that,” Dombrowski said. “He's going to play hard. He's going to play right. He adds a dimension of speed. He's the right person for our club to acquire and further develop our capabilities.”
Harper played a role in the recruiting process (no shock there) and discussed the possibility with Merrifield in early February.
“We talked about two weeks ago,” Harper said, “and we talked about some stuff about Philadelphia and stuff. I think he's really excited to be here and he's going to be a great addition to us.” He's had a great career. He's a young, two-time national champion at the University of South Carolina. He knows how to win and he's a leader.
“He's a little bit of a veteran guy at 35 years old, so I think he'll bring that to our clubhouse as well. We're all looking forward to seeing him. He's been a hit since 2017. “He's in the top three and he's a really good player.” “He's an all-around player. He's going to be a gamer for us and I think Philadelphia would be really excited to get this player.”
