The Philadelphia Phillies presumably made their last move of the offseason when they signed Whit Merrifield to a one-year, $8 million deal. Merrifield, 35 years old, is a three-time All-Star and could be a sneaky pickup for this Phillies team.
As Philadelphia prepares to make another deep postseason run, Merrifield will be a big part of that. Whether it be in the outfield or the infield, Merrifield's versatility gives the club flexibility throughout a full 162 games.
He's only been with the club for a week, but everything he's seen so far has been promising, praising the team for their focus. Merrifield had the following to say, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com:
“They’re in there for the right reasons. They’re in there to get better every day and work toward the end goal, and that’s to win the last game of the season.”
That's the luxury of having a team full of veterans. Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and others have all been around this game for a very long time. They've also competed at the highest level for a very long time.
Grown-ups are in the clubhouse and that can be a big help in this team accomplishing their goals this season.
Dave Dombrowski built a perfect contending team.
While the Phillies will need to get younger at some point in the next few seasons, they have the luxury of competing for a World Series for at least the next few seasons with their current roster.
Merrifield recognizes the leadership and focus around the clubhouse, a promising sign as Philadelphia gets ready for a 2024 season that should find them as one of the best teams in baseball.
More must-reads: