Banged-up Braves sign Whit Merrifield to major league deal

Super-utility man Whit Merrifield has signed a major league contract with the Atlanta Braves and will join the team a day after All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies fractured his wrist.

Merrifield was released last week by the Philadelphia Phillies after hitting .199/.277/.295 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 174 plate appearances. The 35-year-old signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Phillies in the offseason and will receive a prorated portion of the $740,000 major league minimum from Atlanta.

With Albies out an expected two months after suffering the injury applying a tag at second base to St. Louis center fielder Michael Siani, Merrifield will serve as insurance to rookie Nacho Alvarez Jr., who was added to the roster Monday. Merrifield has played second base, third base and left field this season, and at other points in his career has manned center field, right field and first base as well.

A three-time All-Star, Merrifield led the American League in hits twice and in stolen bases three times while with the Kansas City Royals, where he batted .286/.332/.425 over seven seasons. He spent two years with the Toronto Blue Jays and joined the Phillies in February, adding to the depth of the team that has been the best in baseball.

With the Phillies looking for more thump against left-handed pitching, they released Merrifield, who now joins the team behind them in the National League East standings. At 54-44, the Braves occupy the top wild-card slot in the NL but are 8½ games back of Philadelphia.

Injuries have vexed the Braves all season. Reigning MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and ace Spencer Strider are out for the season, and additionally center fielder Michael Harris II and top starter Max Fried are on the injured list.

Merrifield is the third released veteran the Braves have signed within the past five weeks. Outfielder Ramon Laureano joined Atlanta after being released by Cleveland, and outfielder Eddie Rosario — who starred in the Braves’ run to a World Series championship in 2021 — signed with Atlanta after Washington released him.

Alvarez, 21, is the Braves’ top position-playing prospect and was hitting .336/.432/.575 with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 28 games at Triple-A Gwinnett. He has played exclusively at shortstop and third base since Atlanta chose him in the fifth round of the 2022 draft.