Former Toronto Blue Jays All-Star announces retirement
Former Toronto Blue Jays utility player Whit Merrifield is hanging up the cleats.
The 36-year-old penned a note today on Instagram thanking his family, friends, and all the fans who supported him throughout his nine MLB seasons.
“You all should know that I decided a while back to retire,” Merrifield wrote. “When it came down to it, it was an easy decision. Many factors played a role 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.”
Merrifield spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Kansas City Royals, during which time he appeared in two All-Star games while leading the AL in stolen bases in three different seasons.
The 36-year-old wound up being traded to the Blue Jays partway through the 2022 season, and was able to appear in the third and final All-Star game of his career in 2023. He departed the Blue Jays following the 2023 campaign and spent time with both the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves during his final season in 2024.
Though Merrifield will be thought of by most as a Royal, he made sure to give thanks to each organization he played for throughout his MLB career, including the Jays.
“I was so privileged and blessed to have played in the cities I played in. KC, you became a second home to my family and I. Nothing compares to a first love. Toronto, playing for an entire country was an honour. Philly, I liked you way more than you liked me. Sorry I stunk for you. And Atlanta, it was the joy of a lifetime to play and end my career with my childhood team. My only baseball regret was never being able to help bring a world championship to any one of the cities I played for.”
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Merrifield ends his career with a very impressive .280 batting average along with 1,249 hits and 485 RBIs. Though short-lived, he was one of the best on-base hitters in the MLB during his prime.
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