Whit Merrifield had a great Major League Baseball career, but his time with the Philadelphia Phillies was painful for everyone involved.
Merrifield was a three-time American League All-Star with the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays, twice leading the majors in hits. But his career took a downturn in 2024, when he signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Phillies.
After batting .199 in 53 games, the Phillies released Merrifield last July. He finished out the season with the division rival Atlanta Braves, and that was the last any of us would see of him on a big-league diamond.
On Tuesday, Merrifield officially announced his retirement from MLB in a release from his agency, Warner Sports Management. And when thanking each of the teams he played for, Merrifield had a message for Phillies fans specifically.
“Philly, I liked you way more than you liked me. Sorry I stunk for you,” Merrifield quipped.
Merrifield also added that the birth of his daughter, which came in March of 2024, just as he was joining the Phillies in spring training, heavily contributed to his decision to retire.
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The 36-year-old hoped that the 2024 season would be a championship push with a Phillies team coming off back-to-back National League Championship Series appearances, but he wasn’t able to see it through.
“My only baseball regret was never being able to help bring a world championship to any one of the cities I played for,” Merrifield added.
Still, Merrifield had a great career on the whole, and Philadelphians can at least appreciate him owning up to his struggles in a humorous manner.
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