A former <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Blue Jay</a> is calling it a career. According to Warner Sports Management&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1937618977460748762">social media</a>, utility stalwart Whit Merrifield has officially retired, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. He spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves and was unsigned heading into the 2025 campaign.
Hailing from Florence, South Carolina, Merrifield was a ninth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2010. He spent five seasons climbing his way up the minor league ladder before making his debut in 2016, suiting up in 81 games for the Royals. The right-handed bat spent parts of seven years with Kansas City, earning two All-Star honours (2019 &amp; 2021) and led the league in hits in both 2018 and 2019 with 192 and 206 hits, respectively. As a Royal, he would craft a .286/.332/.425 slash line with 74 home runs, 387 RBIs, 174 stolen bases, and a .757 OPS.
Merrifield would be traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for RHP Max Castillo and OF Samad Taylor. He would finish that season with a .281/.323/.446 slash line and experience his first postseason ball that October, collecting one hit in the Wild Card series against the Seattle Mariners. The second baseman/outfielder would earn an All-Star nomination in 2023 and posted a .700 OPS through 547 at-bats while chipping in 11 home runs and 26 stolen bases.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Whit Merrifield has retired after nine seasons in baseball, his agency <a href="https://twitter.com/WSM_Baseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WSM_Baseball</a> announced. <a href="https://t.co/anYenhlo5e">pic.twitter.com/anYenhlo5e</a>
&mdash; Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1937618977460748762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A free agent during the 2023/2024 offseason, Merrifield signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with the Phillies but struggled to find a rhythm at the plate. The Phillies would release him in mid-July, and he would <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/former-blue-jay-whit-merrifield-signed-a-major-league-deal-with-the-atlanta-braves">sign a Major League deal</a> with the Braves shortly after, appearing in 42 games down the stretch. Despite fracturing his left foot in September, Merrifield did not hit the IL and would finish the year on the active roster.
Defensively, the 36-year-old spent most of his early career at second base with some sporadic stints in the corner outfield spots. On the infield, he authored a .983 fielding percentage through 6277 innings and crafted a zero DRS.
For his career, Merrifield retires with a lifetime .280/.328/.413 slash line with 94 home runs, 485 RBIs, 218 stolen bases, and a .741 OPS through nine seasons and over 1147 games. He authored a 17.9 bWAR and ranks seventh in Royals franchise history with 174 stolen bases.
<hr />
<a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85322" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01.png 727w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01-300x167.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" /></a>
Celebrate <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">Vladdy’s big news</a> in style with the exclusive new <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">BlueJaysNation Vladdy merch</a> — available only at <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">NationGear.ca</a>! Rep a future Hall of Famer and wear your team&#8217;s pride loud. Limited drop. Don’t miss out.

A former <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Blue Jay</a> is calling it a career. According to Warner Sports Management's <a href="https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1937618977460748762">social media</a>, utility stalwart Whit Merrifield has officially retired, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. He spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves and was unsigned heading into the 2025 campaign.

Hailing from Florence, South Carolina, Merrifield was a ninth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2010. He spent five seasons climbing his way up the minor league ladder before making his debut in 2016, suiting up in 81 games for the Royals. The right-handed bat spent parts of seven years with Kansas City, earning two All-Star honours (2019 &amp; 2021) and led the league in hits in both 2018 and 2019 with 192 and 206 hits, respectively. As a Royal, he would craft a .286/.332/.425 slash line with 74 home runs, 387 RBIs, 174 stolen bases, and a .757 OPS.

Merrifield would be traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for RHP Max Castillo and OF Samad Taylor. He would finish that season with a .281/.323/.446 slash line and experience his first postseason ball that October, collecting one hit in the Wild Card series against the Seattle Mariners. The second baseman/outfielder would earn an All-Star nomination in 2023 and posted a .700 OPS through 547 at-bats while chipping in 11 home runs and 26 stolen bases.

https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1937618977460748762

A free agent during the 2023/2024 offseason, Merrifield signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with the Phillies but struggled to find a rhythm at the plate. The Phillies would release him in mid-July, and he would <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/former-blue-jay-whit-merrifield-signed-a-major-league-deal-with-the-atlanta-braves">sign a Major League deal</a> with the Braves shortly after, appearing in 42 games down the stretch. Despite fracturing his left foot in September, Merrifield did not hit the IL and would finish the year on the active roster.

Defensively, the 36-year-old spent most of his early career at second base with some sporadic stints in the corner outfield spots. On the infield, he authored a .983 fielding percentage through 6277 innings and crafted a zero DRS.

For his career, Merrifield retires with a lifetime .280/.328/.413 slash line with 94 home runs, 485 RBIs, 218 stolen bases, and a .741 OPS through nine seasons and over 1147 games. He authored a 17.9 bWAR and ranks seventh in Royals franchise history with 174 stolen bases.

<hr />

<a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85322" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" /></a>

Celebrate <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">Vladdy’s big news</a> in style with the exclusive new <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">BlueJaysNation Vladdy merch</a> — available only at <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">NationGear.ca</a>! Rep a future Hall of Famer and wear your team's pride loud. Limited drop. Don’t miss out.

Former Blue Jay Whit Merrifield retires

AL East Trade Deadline Grades: High scores all the way around, but Boston misses out on the fun

Did the Blue Jays do enough to improve at MLB trade deadline?

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) hits an RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre.

Recent articles from Tyson Shushkewich

Breaking News