Philadelphia Phillies' Offseason Acquisition Hints His Production Is Coming Soon

Despite the rough start to his Philadelphia Phillies tenure, the veteran utilityman is confident that he will produce for his new team soon.

Feb 24, 2024; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Whit Merrifield (9) / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Whit Merrifield wanted to come play for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Not every player welcomes the pressure of playing in a tough sports market.

But Merrifield signed a one-year, $8 million deal to try and win a championship with the Phillies.

He knew the risks.

Merrifield is off to a slow start, going 3-for-25.

"I think it's human nature. Like I said, being on a new team, being around new people, a new fan base," he told Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. "The good thing is, for me, that I've built a good resume to fall back on ... But playing for the fans in the city … you want to show that you could do things to help this team, and I just haven't done it yet. But again, it's just two weeks into it."

When someone is out there every day, it's easier to snap out of prolonged slumps.

When getting a rare start or being pushed into pinch-hitting roles, it's even tougher.

Merrifield was aware when he came to Philadelphia that he would likely be a part-time player.

He has talked about the fan base. Their excitement is one reason he signed.

"Honestly, I love the passion thy have to win," Merrifield told Coffey. "Because I know when things are going good, they're going to cheer louder than anybody, you know? I'd rather someone boo when it's going bad and cheer louder than anyone when it's going well. It's just a matter of time. But, like I said, it would have been nice to get off to a good first impression. But we'll get there."

Merrifield has accumulated 90 home runs and 470 RBI in a nine-year career with the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, and briefly with the Phillies. He has a career .283 batting average.

History shows the veteran will hit and produce.

The sooner the better for this team.