Should the Cleveland Guardians kick the tires on Whit Merrifield?

Over the past few seasons, there has been a desire for the Cleveland Guardians to acquire second baseman and outfielder Whit Merrifield. Many were hoping that Cleveland would be able to pry the versatile former Royal from Kansas City, but they were unable to do so. Following stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies dating back to 2022, Merrifield has been released by the Phillies and is now a free agent. Should the Guardians look to bring in the player that everyone has been clamoring for,m or should they look elsewhere?

First things first, the price will probably be right, considering the 35-year-old free agent will probably be looking to catch on with a contending team, and that is something that certainly aligns with the Guardians' performance this season. Cleveland has already taken low-cost fliers on Matthew Boyd and Spencer Howard, making it relatively easy to imagine them replicating this same process with someone like Merrifield. But it is not that simple, unfortunately.

As exciting as this prospect may have been a few years ago, Merrifield's performance at the plate has nosedived in 2024. Slashing a career-worst .199/.277/.295 with four doubles, three home runs, and 11 stolen bases in 53 games, Merrifield is a shell of his former self. This is truly disappointing as Merrifield experienced a bounce-back year in 2023 in Toronto, slashing .272/.318/.382 with 27 doubles and 11 home runs while stealing 26 bases along the way in 145 games played for the Blue Jays. The stark contrast in performance is very alarming and should serve as a warning sign for any team looking to bring him aboard.

There is one more thing to consider here. If the team with MLB's best record, Philadelphia, decided they would be better off without him on their roster, why should any other contending team look to bring him into the fold? While it is very possible that he just was not a good fit with the Phillies and their team approach, this can happen from time to time when a previously effective hitter struggles to replicate his success with a new ball club. It is possible for Merrifield to turn things around with a new team, but considering his career-high 46.7% groundball rate and 21% soft hit rate, it is hard to imagine that a major turnaround at the plate is in store.

So, should the Guardians bring in Whit Merrifield? Absolutely not. This is a team that needs to find hitters who are outperforming the options in need of replacement, not underperforming. Acquiring Merrifield would have been something for the Guardians to consider before the season started, but now it is something they should look to avoid. Let Merrifield catch on with another team to see if he can return to his former productive self. But for now, Cleveland needs to set their sights higher rather than taking on a reclamation project in Merrifield.