Utility player Whit Merrifield, who briefly played for the Philadelphia Phillies during his MLB career, announced his retirement on Tuesday, June 24. Phillies fans, who had hoped for more from the three-time All-Star this previous season, received a brief apology from Merrifield.
Merrifield, who became a father about a month after joining the Phillies, stated that “a 6 pound, 6 ounce gift from God my wife and I were blessed with in March of 2024” was the primary factor in his decision to retire.
Whit Merrifield Chooses To Chase His Toddler Over Sliders
According to Merrifield’s letter, which was shared on social media, baseball “required my full focus and energy for me to compete at the level I wanted to” and he came to the realization that “I can no longer give that effort. At this point in life, I’d much rather chase around a toddler than chase sliders.
“Philly, I liked you way more than you liked me. Sorry I stunk for you,” Merrifield said.
Congratulations on an amazing run @WhitMerrifield. We’re beyond grateful to have been a part of the journey every step of the way.#TeamWSM pic.twitter.com/MW6zgsxnXJ
— Warner Sports Management (@WSM_Baseball) June 24, 2025
“I loved all the moments. All the highs and even all the lows,” he said at the end of the letter. “I’m grateful for the way this game molded me. I can’t wait to tell my story to my daughter one day. What a ride. Thanks for everything.”
Merrifield, a native of Florence, South Carolina, was selected in the 2010 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. He made his major-league debut in 2016. In 2019, 2021, and 2023, Merrifield was selected to the American League All-Star squad.
He equaled Jeimer Candelario and J.D. Martinez for the most doubles in MLB in 2021 with 42. He tied for the most triples in MLB in 2019 as one of three Royals’ players to reach 10.
After 53 games and a.199 batting average, Merrifield’s one-season experiment in Philadelphia came to an end. He finished his career with his childhood team, the National League East Division-rival Atlanta Braves, after being cut loose by Philadelphia.
Merrifield also played with the Royals and Toronto Blue Jays, besides the Phillies and Braves, in his nine MLB seasons. In his retirement letter, Merrifield took the time to express gratitude to each team he played for.
Merrifield played in 1,147 games with a career .280 batting average and a .741 OPS. He slugged 94 home runs and stole 218 bases.
“I loved all the moments,” Merrifield wrote. “All the highs and even the lows. I’m grateful for the way this game molded me. I can’t wait to tell my story to my daughter one day. What a ride. Thanks for everything.”