Former Philadelphia Phillies player Whit Merrifield announced his retirement from baseball on Tuesday. The veteran of nine MLB seasons made the announcement through his representation,
Warner Sports Management, with a heartfelt letter explaining his decision and giving a shoutout to the four teams he played for during his career.
Merrifield, 36, signed a one-year contract with the Phillies in February 2024 for $8 million. The deal included a club option for 2025. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the Phillies never got to the point where they had to decide whether to exercise that option.
Whit Merrifield has retired after nine seasons in baseball, his agency @WSM_Baseball announced. pic.twitter.com/anYenhlo5e
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) June 24, 2025
Merrifield played for four teams in his career, debuting with the Kansas City Royals in 2016. He played there until landing in Toronto in a 2022 trade deadline deal. He played for the Blue Jays in 2023 as well, earning his third All-Star nod. After leaving Philadelphia partway through last season, he signed with the rival Atlanta Braves and finished the year there.
Coming off his All-Star season with the Blue Jays, Merrifield was thought to be a key veteran piece the stacked Phillies were missing in the quest to return to the World Series. It didn't turn out that way.
Whit Merrifield acknowledges his struggles with Phillies in retirement letter
After a red-hot spring training, Merrifield struggled out of the gate. Filling a utility role off the bench for the first time in his career, the infielder/outfielder shockingly slashed .199/.277/.295 with three home runs, 11 RBIs, 21 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 174 plate appearances across 53 games.
On July 12, with a 61-33 record, the Phillies released Merrifield. He was a beloved figure in the clubhouse, by all accounts, and they were never the same after he left. They went 34-34 the rest of the way before bowing out early in the NLDS.
With his time in Philly marked by on-field struggles, he acknowledged that fact in his farewell message:
"Philly, I liked you way more than you liked me. Sorry I stunk for you," Merrifield wrote in the message. " … My only baseball regret was never being able to help bring a world championship to any one of the cities I played for."
Merrifield also included a reason for his decision to hang up the cleats:
"You all should know that I decided a while back to retire. When it came down to it, it was an easy decision. Many factors played a roll in my decision, but the main one was a 6 pound 6 ounce gift from God my wife and I were blessed with in March of 2024. I was never talented enough to just show up and play. Baseball required my full focus and energy for me to compete at the level I wanted to, and I realize I can no longer give that effort. At this point in life, I'd much rather chase around a toddler than chase sliders."
Merrifield finishes his MLB career as a .280 hitter with a .741 OPS, 94 home runs, 485 RBIs, 632 runs and 218 stolen bases in 1,147 games.