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Merrifield announced Tuesday that he has retired from baseball after a nine-year major-league career, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Merrifield had spent the entirety of the 2025 campaign to this point as a free agent. The 36-year-old posted a career .280/.328/.413 slash line with 94 home runs, 485 RBI, 632 runs scored and 218 stolen bases over 1,147 career games across nine seasons with the Royals, Blue Jays, Phillies and Atlanta from 2016 through 2024. His 174 stolen bases with the Royals ranks seventh all-time in franchise history, while his .286 career average with Kansas City is good for 13th-best. Merrifield was also selected as an All-Star in 2019, 2021 and 2023, and he led baseball in hits in both 2018 (192) and 2019 (206).
Merrifield is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
He'll hit the bench for the third game in a row, with his exit from the lineup corresponding with top second baseman Ozzie Albies' return from the 10-day injured list. With Albies entrenched at the keystone and with Atlanta satisfied with how Gio Urshela and Ramon Laureano are performing as their primary starters at third base and in left field, respectively, Merrifield doesn't have an avenue to everyday at-bats.
Braves' Whit Merrifield: Three hits in Saturday's win
Rotowire
Merrifield went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored in Saturday's 10-1 win over the Dodgers.
Merrifield has gone 5-for-8 over the first two games of this weekend's series versus the Dodgers. He missed the previous week due to a left foot fracture, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Merrifield cede some playing time to Cavan Biggio for regular rest. For the season, Merrifield has a .229/.321/.327 slash line four home runs, 16 stolen bases, nine doubles, three triples, 15 RBI and 43 runs scored over 89 contests between Atlanta and Philadelphia.
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Braves' Whit Merrifield: Back in lineup
Rotowire
Merrifield (foot) is batting ninth and playing second base Friday against the Dodgers.
Merrifield fractured his left foot Sept. 6 and missed five straight games, but he'll rejoin the starting nine in time for a four-game set against the Dodgers. Merrifield is slashing .243/.359/.342 in 34 games with Atlanta this season.
Braves' Whit Merrifield: Not ready to start Wednesday
Rotowire
Merrifield (foot) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
He'll miss out on a fifth straight start while he gets more time off to recover from a left foot fracture. Cavan Biggio will cover the keystone Wednesday, but Atlanta is hopeful that Merrifield will be ready to reclaim an everyday role in the infield coming out of Thursday's team off day.
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