WHIT MERRIFIELD NEWS

Whit Merrifield: Home Run Statcast Analysis | 05/07/2023 The data behind Whit Merrifield's home run

MAY 8, 2023 • MLB.COM

Merrifield has 4 RBIs, Blue Jays win 10-1, Pirates skid at 7

Whit Merrifield had four RBIs, three on his first homer of the season, and the Toronto Blue Jays routed Pittsburgh 10-1 for a three-game sweep that extended the Pirates’ losing str...

MAY 7, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Runs wild in Friday's win Merrifield went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and three stolen bases in Friday's 4-0 win over the Pirates.

Impact The 34-year-old made life miserable for Pittsburgh catcher Austin Hedges every time he reached base, swiping third after a fourth-inning double then taking second and third after a sixth-inning single. Merrifield is still looking for his first homer of the year, but that's about the only blemish on his line to begin his first full season as a Blue Jays -- he's slashing .301/.356/.398 with 10 RBI, 11 runs and seven steals in eight attempts through 26 games.

MAY 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Enrique Hernández barehanded play | 05/04/2023 Enrique Hernández makes a quick barehanded play to first base and retires Whit Merrifield in the top of the 6th inning

MAY 5, 2023 • MLB.COM

Not in Thursday's lineup Merrifield is not in the Blue Jays' lineup for Thursday's game in Boston.

Impact The Jays are going with Cavan Biggio at second base against Brayan Bello. Merrifield began the season with a 22-game on-base streak but has since failed to reach base the last two contests.

MAY 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Out of lineup Saturday Merrifield is out of the starting lineup Saturday versus the Mariners.

Impact Cavan Biggio will play second base and bat eighth against the Mariners and right-hander Easton McGee. Daulton Varsho is in left field and George Springer is in right.

APRIL 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Two hits, steal in win Merrifield went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a steal in Wednesday's win over the White Sox.

Impact Merrifield saw his 10-game hitting streak end Tuesday but got back on track Wednesday, hitting a pair of singles and swiping his fourth bag in a win over the White Sox. The 34-year-old Merrifield has gotten off to a fast start in Toronto following a down 2022 season. He's now slashing .313/.377/.403 with 10 RBI and nine runs scored through 77 plate appearances.

APRIL 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Whit Merrifield's two-run single | 04/26/2023 Whit Merrifield slaps a single up the middle, scoring two runs and extending the Blue Jays' lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the 7th

APRIL 26, 2023 • MLB.COM

Whit Merrifield, the Blue Jays' emerging on-base star Whit Merrifield isn't the most threatening hitter within the Toronto B...

APRIL 25, 2023 • BLUEJAYSNATION.COM

Hit streak at 10 games Merrifield went 1-for-2 with two walks, a double, a run scored and an RBI in Monday's win over the White Six.

Impact The former Royal extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a fourth-inning two-bagger off Lance Lynn. Merrifield is batting .389 (14-for-36) during the streak with two steals, six runs and six RBI, and while the 34-year-old continues to get frequent rest days as part of a deep Toronto roster, his surge as raised his slash line to .317/.377/.417 on the season.

APRIL 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Whit Merrifield's RBI double | 04/24/2023 Whit Merrifield rips a line drive down the left-field line for a double, scoring Alejandro Kirk and getting the Blue Jays on the board

APRIL 25, 2023 • MLB.COM

Sitting Friday Merrifield is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Yankees.

Impact Merrifield will take a seat after he extended his hit streak to seven games Wednesday, going 11-for-27 with three doubles, five RBI, four runs scored and two stolen bases over those contests. Cavan Biggio will draw the start at second base and bat eighth in the series opener versus New York.

APRIL 21, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Whit Merrifield's RBI double | 04/19/2023 Whit Merrifield smacks an RBI double to left field to cut the Blue Jays' deficit to 2-1 against the Astros in the top of the 8th inning

APRIL 20, 2023 • MLB.COM

Takes seat Monday Merrifield is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Astros.

Impact Merrifield and Santiago Espinal have typically been the leaders of the Blue Jays' committee approach to the keystone, but both players will take a seat in the series opener while Cavan Biggio gets the nod at the keystone. Of the three players, Merrifield has been the best performer through the first two and a half weeks of the season, posting a .661 OPS to Biggio's .556 and Espinal's .186.

APRIL 17, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Whit Merrifield's RBI double | 04/15/2023 Whit Merrifield drills an RBI double into the left-center-field gap, giving the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead in the 4th inning

APRIL 16, 2023 • MLB.COM

Not starting Friday Merrifield isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup Friday against the Rays.

Impact After going 4-for-12 at the plate with three RBI in his last three games, Merrifield will get a breather Friday. Santiago Espinal will start at second base instead and bat seventh.

APRIL 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Notches second steal Merrifield went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in a loss to the Tigers on Thursday.

Impact Merrifield started in left field for Toronto, marking the third position he has fielded in his past three starts (he played second base Wednesday and right field Sunday). The versatility is helping him remain in the lineup, as the veteran has started 10 of Toronto's 13 games so far this season. Merrifield is slashing a modest .250/.310/.278 with just one extra-base hit (a double) through 42 plate appearances, but he did manage his second theft Thursday. Fantasy managers who roster Merrifield likely aren't expecting much in the way of power from the 34-year-old, so he'll need to provide production in the stolen-base department to remain a viable fantasy asset.

APRIL 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Vlad Jr. scores on interference | 04/12/2023 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. advances to third on Whit Merrifield's single and is awarded home on interference by third baseman Ryan Kreidler

APRIL 13, 2023 • MLB.COM

Blue Jays rally in 9th, beat Tigers in 10 on Springer's hit

George Springer singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied past Detroit 4-3, handing the Tigers their sixth consecutive defeat

APRIL 13, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sitting out Tuesday Merrifield is absent from the Blue Jays' lineup Tuesday against the Tigers.

Impact He had started each of the last six contests but will sit this one out. Cavan Biggio will play second base while Daulton Varsho and George Springer handle the corner outfield spots.

APRIL 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Swipes first bag Merrifield went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base in Sunday's extra-inning win over the Angels.

Impact The 34-year-old put together his first multi-hit game of the season while also collecting his first steal. Merrifield's had a tepid start to the season, batting .241 (7-for-29) through eight games, but he stole 40 bases as recently as 2021 and could make a big impact in that category once he starts getting on base more consistently.

APRIL 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Whit Merrifield's RBI single | 04/09/2023 Whit Merrifield drives in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with an RBI single to left field, increasing the Blue Jays' lead to 8-6 in the 7th inning

APRIL 10, 2023 • MLB.COM

Whit Merrifield's diving catch | 04/08/2023 Whit Merrifield makes an incredible diving catch robbing a hit away from Brandon Drury in the bottom of the 8th inning

APRIL 9, 2023 • MLB.COM

Toronto ends 3-game skid in Whit Merrifield's return to KC

Yusei Kikuchi and four relievers limited Kansas City to one run on four hits and the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Royals

APRIL 5, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

What Whit Merrifield said about Royals, his end with team ahead of KC-Toronto series What kind of reception do you think Whit Merrifield will get from Royals fans when he gets his first at-bat with Toronto this week?

APRIL 3, 2023 • KANSASCITY.COM