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Dave Dombrowski Not Messing Around as Phillies Release Whit Merrifield (UPDATED)
Published:
Phillies press release:
Prior to tonight’s game against the Oakland Athletics, the Phillies released utility player Whit Merrifield. To fill his spot on the 26-man roster, infielder/outfielder Weston Wilson was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.
Merrifield, 35, appeared in 53 games for the Phillies, making 20 starts in left field, 12 at second base and eight at third base. He slashed .199/.277/.295 with four doubles, one triple, three home runs, 11 RBI, 15 walks and 21 runs scored across 174 plate appearances.
Originally selected by the Kansas City Royals in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, Merrifield was signed by the Phillies as a free agent on Feb. 19, 2024.
Wilson, 29, appeared in two games with the Phillies in his first stint with the club, making his season debut on June 9 vs the New York Mets at London Stadium. Since being optioned to the IronPigs on June 15, he has slashed .315/.446/.740 with 10 home runs, 20 RBI and a 1.186 OPS in 20 games (93 PA). Wilson was named International League Player of the Week on July 1 after slashing .417/.500/.917 with four homers and a 1.417 OPS across six games.
He was signed by the Phillies as a free agent on Jan. 3, 2023. Wilson was originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Tough one. Merrifield just wasn’t playing well. Wasn’t hitting well. Same Merrifield who was slashing .272/.318/.382 just last season as an everyday starter for the Blue Jays. Gotta be hard to go from that to utility player on a brand new team at age 35.
Dave Dombrowski isn’t messing around though. Didi Gregorius in 2022? Gone. Josh Harrison in 2023? Gone. Whit Merrifield in 2024? Gone. Guy isn’t afraid to cut ties with a veteran who isn’t getting it done. Feels like Cristian Pache is next, yeah? Trade deadline is coming up. The Phils are the best team in baseball. Hunch is that Dombrowski does something big here. This roster is gonna look different in three weeks.
EDIT – Ant is down at the ballpark and got some quotes.
Rob Thomson: “One, (Weston) Wilson’s hot and we’re trying to get that thump from the right side, and, you know, we thought it was gonna be Whit. As hard as he worked at it, it’s a tough job, as I’ve said many times but you know, it wasn’t coming so we thought well let’s take a look at Wilson… It’s difficult and it’s not just (about track record). It’s the person. The teammate. The guy in the clubhouse. You know, it’s, it’s very, very difficult to balance that out. And, and I personally, really liked him a lot. And I’ve been a farm director and a field coordinator. I’ve had many, many releases and had to fire many, many people and this is one of the tougher ones.”
Jeff Hoffman: “I think that this clubhouse has a way of bringing guys close and everybody really, genuinely believes in each other, which is hard to come across for a whole group of people. It feels like a family, and every time somebody leaves, it’s a hard thing for us. We just dealt with it today with Whit. It’s a hard thing because we get close quick, and it’s a testament to the culture that they’ve built here.”
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com