3 important things we’ve learned about the Phillies at the season’s 30% mark

Whit Merrifield has not been the depth addition the Phillies had hoped for

Speaking of bench pieces, while Sosa has filled in admirably, the same cannot be said for the Phillies' biggest offseason addition, Whit Merrifield. As the elder statesman of the club, Merrifield was signed because of his positional flexibility. While second base is probably his strongest position, the versatile 35-year-old has also seen time at third base and left field.

Garnering 91 at-bats over 28 games, the right-handed hitting utility man has not lived up to expectations. He is slashing .187/.267/.286 with two home runs and just four runs batted in. A career .282 hitter, the start to the 2024 season must be frustrating for Merrifield.

The veteran Merrifield is not used to being relegated to a bench role. He was a starter for his career in Kansas City and Toronto before signing with the Phillies. In the offseason, he had commented that he planned on forcing manager Rob Thomson to give him more playing time by performing well.

So far that has not transpired despite a decent number of opportunities. The season is still young, and Merrifield may still be adjusting to a new club and a new role. It will be interesting to see if he is able to become more productive as the season heads into the summer months.