The Atlanta Braves have had a challenging 2024 season, facing a slew of injuries. Now, midseason acquisition Whit Merrifield has pledged to play despite breaking a bone in his foot.
Merrifield was initially sidelined for six weeks, but he is determined to make a comeback. With the Braves (77-65) just one game behind the New York Mets (78-64) in the National League Wild Card hunt, his commitment is understandable.
The Braves are set to host the Dodgers from September 13-16 in an essential matchup between two National League rivals.
Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
“It’s not going to worsen; it’s more about pain tolerance at this point,” he added.
Merrifield’s journey this year has been tough. After making his third All-Star appearance last season with the Toronto Blue Jays, he signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Unfortunately, he struggled at the plate, hitting just .199/.277/.295 in 53 games before being released in July.
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After losing All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies to a wrist fracture, the Braves acquired Merrifield. Since joining Atlanta, he’s improved his stats to .243/.359/.342. Yet, his time with the team has been anything but smooth sailing.
Most recently, on September 3, he was hit in the head by a 94 mph fastball, leading to a passionate postgame rant about pitcher control in the major leagues.
In last night’s game Braves 2nd baseman Whit Merrifield was struck in the head by a 94 mph fastball. He’s lucky to be standing. “It’s pretty pathetic that some of the pitchers out there don’t know where the ball is going at the major league level.”- Whit Merrifield pic.twitter.com/94Aw8NLMDK
— charmane harbert ✝️ 🇺🇸 (@callme_Chari) September 4, 2024
In his prime with the Kansas City Royals from 2017 to 2021, Merrifield was a standout player, batting .292 with strong on-base and slugging percentages while averaging 13 homers and 30 stolen bases per season, earning two All-Star selections.
Now, he serves as a fill-in until Albies returns to the lineup. According to David O’Brien of The Athletic, Albies is making progress but still experiences discomfort while hitting from the left side.
The Braves have also lost top talent to injuries, including pitcher Spencer Strider and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. It’s impressive they’re still in the playoff conversation.
If they can navigate the Dodgers series successfully, the Braves will face the Mets in another crucial three-game set from September 24-26 that could determine their postseason fate.