Whit Merrifield has had enough of having to contend with a wild fastball. The Atlanta Braves player cut loose and did not mince words in his criticism of Major League Baseball’s current pitching standards. After being hit by a 94.5 mph fastball, frustrations spilled over as Merrifield called out what he felt was an alarming trend surfacing in the game.
Merrifield Frustration Over Reckless Pitching
On Tuesday, Merrifield was in a precarious situation in the Braves’ game against the Colorado Rockies. A fastball from rookie right-hander Jeff Criswell struck Merrifield in the helmet. It was a jolting contact. Merrifield wobbled and went to one knee before angrily yelling at Criswell and heading to the dugout.
To say Merrifield was unhappy after the game is an understatement. “It’s bulls—it’s driving me nuts,” he explained after the game. He was especially frustrated at the state of pitching now. “I hate where the game is right now with that.” In these comments, there was deep dissatisfaction because of how some pitchers handle their control and the hurtful consequences of throwing too hard on the mound.
He referred to other major league players who have been injured by inside fastballs, mentioning Taylor Ward and Justin Turner, who suffered severe facial injuries last year. This isn’t an isolated incident for Merrifield or the Braves.
It was, in fact, the fourth time in less than a month that a Braves player has been drilled with a high-and-tight fastball. Third Baseman Austin Riley is out for the rest of the season with a broken hand courtesy of one. Center Fielder Michael Harris and veteran Catcher Travis d’Arnaud also spent time on the injured list due to being hit, but their injuries were far less serious.
Whit Merrifield’s Advocacy
One of the biggest complaints that Merrifield has is that the pitchers these days are not being called out on dangerous pitches. He says the dynamic of the sport has changed, and there just isn’t a reason to prevent someone from pitching wildly anymore.
As a player representative on MLB’s competition committee, Merrifield is one of those who will bring these issues to that meeting. He intends to start a discussion with the other members of the committee in hopes it sparks changes that will prevent injuries in the future.
Merrifield is frustrated, and though he is out with an injury himself, it speaks to general player safety in the league. He says if things don’t change, “something terrible is going to happen.” His comments speak to an urgent need by Major League Baseball to try and address the issue of uncontrolled pitching and how to protect players.
Looking Ahead
Braves Manager, Brian Snitker, also mentioned that Merrifield passed the concussion protocol and could be back shortly, but Whit Merrifield was infuriated and addressed how Criswell remained in the game to continue pitching.
This incident has sparked an important conversation regarding pitching standards and player safety. Merrifield’s defiant statement was reminiscent of the human element behind the box score and how change must come in terms of managing pitching at the major league level. Moving forward, everyone will be watching how MLB reacts to these hot topics.
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