4 Phillies players who could be ruthlessly dismissed after Whit Merrifield release
With the underperforming Merrifield now gone, which Phillies players might be next to suffer the same fate?
On Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies surprised the baseball world when they announced that they had released veteran utilityman Whit Merrifield. After all, Merrifield was one of the Philllies’ biggest free agent signings this past offseason. They had fully expected him to provide a significant impact to the lineup off the bench given his versatility and the fact that he was coming off a revitalized All-Star season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023.
However, things certainly did not turn out as planned, as Merrifield struggled to find his groove with his new team despite now reaching the halfway mark of the season.
For the year, he posted a disappointing .199 batting average and .572 OPS, along with just 21 runs scored, four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI in 53 games played. To be fair, Merrifield still proved that he had the legs with 11 stolen bases on the season, along with playing some solid defense in various positions in the field by registering 2 DRS and a .972 fielding percentage overall.
Nevertheless, with the Phillies going all-in for a World Series championship in 2024, they can't afford to have any weaknesses in their lineup that could potentially impact their progress going forward. As a result, Merrifield was ruthlessly dismissed from the team despite still providing some value in various aspects of the game other than offense.
4 Phillies players who could be ruthlessly dismissed after Whit Merrifield release
If that's the mentality of the ballclub going forward, then which other Phillies players could potentially suffer a similar fate in the coming weeks? With the trade deadline coming fast, the roster will likely see some shuffling, and more players could be headed out the door.
Here, we will take a look at four Phillies players who could be ruthlessly sent packing, just like Merrifield was, if things don’t start improving for them any time soon.
Cristian Pache
Perhaps among all of the Phillies players currently on the big league roster, Cristian Pache is the most likely to find himself on the bubble. It might have surprised many that Philadelphia didn’t cut Pache first instead of Merrifield. After all, both players were struggling to about the same degree, but Merrifield still provided more production and some added flexibility in the lineup.
In the case of Pache, he has been having an underwhelming 2024 with the Phillies after re-signing with the team to a value one-year, $760,500 contract this past offseason. In 46 games as a bench reserve player, he has hit a measly .200 with a .568 OPS, along with just eight runs scored, five doubles, zero home runs and nine RBI.
His elite defense still remains his strongest attribute, as he has registered 5 DRS and committed only two errors in 67 total chances for a .970 fielding percentage. However, similar to the situation with Merrifield, it can only carry so much if the performance at the plate isn’t there to match it.
More importantly, with the Phillies actively looking for outfield help both in a starting and bench role as the trade deadline approaches, Pache’s days with the club could be coming to a close some time soon.
If Merrifield, with his proven track record and veteran leadership, couldn’t survive the axe, the chances of Pache making it through to the end of the season are slim to none. So it might not be a matter of if, just a matter of when.
José Ruiz
Reliever José Ruiz has actually done a fine job with the Phillies since his promotion in early May when Yunior Marté went on the IL. Ruiz had signed a minor league deal with Philadelphia during the offseason to serve as pitching depth for the organization after spending his previous seven years with the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks.
In 26 appearances with the Phillies, Ruiz has a 2-1 record with a 4.28 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, giving up 31 hits, seven walks and 24 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings of work. However, one caveat is that the bulk of his outings are lower leverage situations where the Phillies were ahead or down by 3+ runs. As a result, he hasn’t registered a single save or hold in the process, which could put him at a usage disadvantage compared to his teammates.
Of note is the fact that Ruiz has struggled a bit more recently, sporting an ERA over 6.00 in his last 15 games. With the bulk of the Phillies bullpen maintaining their stellar numbers, it could be enough to make him the odd man out when injured pitchers eventually return from the IL.
If the Phillies do indeed add an arm to boost the relief corps heading into the stretch run, Ruiz will likely be the tough-luck candidate to be let go from the organization, given that he also has no minor league options remaining. So he could be a sad victim of the numbers game.
Spencer Turnbull
Many may find it shocking to see Spencer Turnbull on this list. After all, hasn’t he been one of the better free agent signings that the Phillies made this past offseason? Inked to a one-year contract worth just $2 million, he has been everything the Phillies had wished for.
When he filled in for Taijuan Walker in the rotation at the beginning of the season, Turnbull was spectacular, going 2-0 with a stellar 1.67 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, giving up just six earned runs with 36 strikeouts in just 32 1/3 innings over six starts.
On the season, Turnbull has compiled a perfect 3-0 record with a 2.65 ERA, 154 ERA+, 1.05 WHIP, along with 20 walks and 58 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings in 17 total appearances. So he must be a sure keeper for the Phillies, no?
Well, the reality could actually be quite cruel. Turnbull has been sidelined with a right lat strain since the end of June, with the expected timeline of his recovery to be at least six to eight weeks, perhaps even more. So, he may not be back until the last month of the season.
If Walker gets healthy and rediscovers his splitter, or someone like Michael Mercado or Tyler Phillips steps up to fill the fifth spot in the rotation, there could be no room for Turnbull in the starting five when he returns.
How about the bullpen? As a reliever, Turnbull has had less success so far, posting a 4.26 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, giving up 19 hits, eight walks and 20 strikeouts in 19 innings. With many other options available in the Phillies’ bullpen who are putting up better numbers, they would also be ahead of him in the pecking order.
With every big league roster spot serving an important purpose for a contending Phillies team, Turnbull may have to face the harsh reality of being squeezed out of a role for just not being at the right place at the right time.
Taijuan Walker
For someone who was looking for some redemption after being left out of the playoff rotation by the Phillies just last season, Taijuan Walker has failed to deliver, coming up short so far in 2024. After starting the year on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement, Walker had struggled mightily since his return at the end of April.
Over his 10 starts, he has a 3-3 record with a gaudy 5.60 ERA, 73 ERA+ and 1.49 WHIP, which are his worst numbers in his 12-year career. On top of that, he has had trouble avoiding contact, giving up more hits than innings pitched, and yielding 12 home runs in just 53 innings of work.
Last season Walker helped the Phillies with a team-leading 15 wins despite having average peripheral numbers. But this year, it has been a completely different story.
Walker is currently on the IL again as a result of a blister inflammation on his right index finger. More importantly, the injury severely impacts his ability to throw the splitter, his most effective pitch. So until he rediscovers a way to throw it effectively without issues, it may be a while before we see him return, or not at all.
With the Phillies also potentially looking for rotation help, along with their patience with Walker possibly growing thin, it wouldn’t be too surprising if he was no longer a part of the team in the near future.
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