Blue Jays acquire 2-time all-star outfielder Whit Merrifield from Royals
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired two-time all-star Whit Merrifield and solidified their bullpen by adding right-handed relievers Anthony Bass and Zach Pop before Tuesday's Major League Baseball trade deadline.
Merrifield was one of 10 Royals who couldn't accompany the team for a four-game series in Toronto last month because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.
The 33-year-old, who can play second base and outfield, is batting .240 with six home runs and 42 runs batted in this season.
He was an all-star last season when he hit .277 with 10 homers and 74 RBIs.
⭐️ Slick Whit It ⭐️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NextLevel?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NextLevel</a> <a href="https://t.co/zeVZ3s8DHF">pic.twitter.com/zeVZ3s8DHF</a>
Blue Jays' GM Ross Atkins was thrilled with the deadline-beating deal.
"He [Merrifield] is such a good player. He is very accomplished with incredible experiences, the versatility, the contact ability, the speed, playing multiple positions, incredible baserunner, feel very good about him at so many different positions and that versatility will help us down the stretch... we're very well covered now," Atkins told a Zoom call minutes before the Jays opened their nine-game road trip in Florida.
The GM didn't bite when asked about his plans for get vaccinated or if he'd be playing at the Rogers Centre any time soon.
"He was acquired right at the deadline, so this is a very fresh acquisition and so because of that I'm not going to comment more on that process for him, and let him work through that with his family. I've basically said hello to him and that's it," added Atkins.
Earlier, the Jays acquired Bass and Pop from the Miami Marlins for shortstop prospect Jordan Groshans.
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