Recently Released Phillies Player Signs MLB Deal with Divisional Rival Braves

A former Philadelphia Phillies player has just signed an MLB deal with divisional rival Atlanta Braves.

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies had to bite the proverbial bullet when they released super utilityman Whit Merrifield earlier this month after signing a one-year, $8 million deal this past offseson.

He is still owed about $3.01 million and a $1 million buyout from that deal, something the Phillies will be responsible for. His new team would only be required to pay the prorated league minimum if they signed him.

That is now the case as ESPN has reported that Merrifield has signed a Major League deal with Philadelphia's divisional rival the Atlanta Braves. He will report to the team on Monday where he will provide immediate depth for a team desperately looking for some.

Merrifield never became what the Phillies were looking for when they signed, which was a productive bat that could play almost every day and on multiple positions on the field to work in rest for the rest of the regulars.

Instead, Merrifield saw little action with Philadelphia this season, 174 plate appearances to be exact, in which he slashed 199/.277/.295. He never fully capitalized on his chances and he was then cut by the Phillies, with the front office giving up $4 million rather than have the utilityman take the field for the team.

Atlanta will now have Merrifield in the mix after second baseman Ozzie Albies suffered injury. Perhaps he will be able to stick with the Braves after a failed tenure in Philadelphia.

Merrifield is in his ninth MLB season and posseses a .281/.328/.415 career slashline with a 101 OPS+ suggesting he is more productive at the plate than the average MLB player over that span.