This is not what the Phillies envisioned when they signed Whit Merrifield to a one-year, $8 million contract during the offseason.
But the three-time All-Star has struggled mightily and left the MLB-best Phillies with little choice but to cut him on Friday, calling up utilityman Weston Wilson from Triple-A to take his place.
Merrifield, 35, was an All-Star last season with the Blue Jays but had to settle for a part-time utility role in free agency.
He never found his footing in Philadelphia, hitting .199 with a .572 OPS, three home runs and 11 RBIs in 174 plate appearances across 53 games.
As noted by The Athletic, Merrifield’s average exit velocity of 83 mph ranks dead last among the 325 hitters who have put at least 100 balls in play this season.
“I’ve been a farm director, field coordinator, I’ve had many, many releases and had to fire many, many people and this was one of the tougher ones I’ve had,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters Friday of Merrifield’s release.
“It’s the person, the teammate, the guy in the clubhouse. I personally really liked him a lot.”
Last season, while playing second base and left field for Toronto, Merrifield hit .272 with a .700 OPS, 11 home runs and 67 RBIs.
He was an All-Star twice during his six-plus seasons with the Royals, including in 2019, when he led the majors with 206 hits and 10 triples.
Merrifield, who made his MLB debut in 2016 at age 27, has eclipsed 40 doubles three times and 40 steals twice in his career
The Phillies entered Friday with a 61-32 record and finish the first half with a three-game home series against the Athletics.