Whit Merrifield contract details, grade: Phillies add three-time All-Star ahead of Opening Day

The offseason began with a bang for the Philadelphia Phillies who re-signed Aaron Nola on a seven-year deal. Bringing Nola back brought much-needed stability to the Phillies rotation. The Zack Wheeler-Aaron Nola duo had done great things for them in the regular season and postseason, so keeping them together only enhances the Phillies' chances at winning the World Series.

Months of inactivity followed for the Phillies, but they finally made a move they had to make by signing Whit Merrifield with MLB Network's Jon Morosi breaking the news.

Whit Merrifield contract details: Grading the Phillies deal for utility man

The Phillies landed Merrifield on a rather cheap one-year deal, guaranteeing him just $8 million with the ability to give him a club option for the 2025 season worth $8 million. While Merrifield is not the star he once was, this is still a great deal for the Phillies for a player that made so much sense for them.

If there's a weakness that can be pointed out in the Phillies position player group, it's their bench. Their best bench bat before this signing was probably Edmundo Sosa who, while he's a solid backup option, is far from a difference-maker. Other bench options included guys like Garrett Stubbs, Cristian Pache, and Jake Cave. Not great.

Adding Merrifield to the group is a slam dunk. What makes him so valuable for teams is his ability to move around. He can play all over the infield and outfield. On this Phillies team he'll probably have play most in the outfield, likely in left field against left-handed pitching in Brandon Marsh's spot.

Speaking of Marsh, Merrifield provides insurance in the case that he's not ready for Opening Day. Marsh underwent arthroscopic knee surgery recently.

Merrifield is not the player he once was in Kansas City but remained productive with the Blue Jays, slashing .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI last season. He stole 26 bases and even made the All-Star team.

He's not expected to play a massive role on this team, but can start two or three games per week at a multitude of different positions and provide a spark off the bench if need be. He's still a quality contact hitter, and an excellent base runner.

It's not the splash Phillies fans might be hoping for, but Merrifield improves an area of weakness quite a bit. This gets them closer to being the team that they want to be in 2024, and they got it done on favorable terms. The option to keep him around in 2025 at a cheap price makes it just that much better.

Grade: A