Whit Merrifield Goes Off On Current State Of MLB Pitching After Scary HBP

Add Whit Merrifield to the list of Major League Baseball players who think pitching across the sport has gotten out of control.

Merrifield was struck in the back of the head by a 95 mph pitch during Tuesday night's Atlanta Braves win over the Colorado Rockies, leaving the game immediately afterward as a precaution. 

While he thankfully seemed to avoid significant injury, Merrifield spoke up after the game about what he believes is an epidemic in modern pitching. And the need to do something about it, in his view.

"It's bulls---; it's driving me nuts," Merrifield said after the game. "I hate where the game is at right now with that.

"It's just ridiculous," he said. "Where the game is at right now, it's just ridiculous. ... The way pitchers are throwing now, there's no remorse or regard for throwing up and in. Guys are throwing hard as they can and they don't care where the ball goes.

"It's bulls---. You can't hit a guy anymore back. There's no fear that, 'Oh if I hit this guy, then our guy is going to get hit.' That's not the game anymore. Pitchers don't have to hit anymore, so they don't have to stand in the box."

"Teams are bringing pitchers up that don't know where the hell the ball is going," he said. "They throw 100 miles an hour, so they're like, 'All right, we'll see if he can get the guys out. Just set up down the middle and throw it as hard as you can.' And it's bulls---."

ATLANTA - Atlanta Braves second baseman Whit Merrifield (15) is talked to by assistant athletic trainer Jeff Stevenson after being hit in the head with a pitch as Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings (25) looks on in the seventh inning at Truist Park on Sept. 3, 2024. PHOTO: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Merrifield Intends To Talk To MLB About Making Changes

As part of the player contingent on MLB's competition committee, Merrifield says he intends to have a "long conversation" with the league about doing something to change the current trend. He also cited the number of other players that have been hit this season and last as evidence that the game has a problem. 

"I watched Taylor Ward get hit in the face last year and have to get reconstructive surgery," Merrifield said. "Justin Turner got hit in the face last year. It's happening at an exponential rate. Guys are getting hit in the hand. Mookie Betts broke a bone in his hand this year.

"It's just ridiculous and it has to be fixed or God forbid, something terrible is going to happen. If this hits me in a different spot -- it's just pathetic. It's frankly pathetic some of the pitchers we're running out there that don't know where the ball is going at the major-league level. And it's got to be fixed."

"I'm out of the game, but [Criswell] gets to stay in and pitch," Merrifield said. "I'm probably not going to be able to play [Wednesday] -- no repercussion on his part. I mean, without being over dramatic, that was my life on the line right there.

"So I'm sick of it. It's happening way too much out there."

Is he right though? Well, yes, mostly.

Outside of 2020, which was obviously a shortened season, hit by pitches are up substantially across MLB in the past five-six years.

Teams are instructing pitchers to throw as hard as possible, realizing that higher velocity and higher spin rates can induce more swing and miss, even on pitches out of the zone. Hitters are partially to blame though too. Modern swing paths are geared to induce lift; elevate and celebrate, for shorthand. The best way to elevate is to get your arms extended, which means pitchers throw inside to prevent extension. More inside pitches, worse control, more hit by pitches.

Yes, Merrifield has a point, hitting has likely become more dangerous in the modern era. As to what can be done about it? Not much, without changing the entire incentive structure of the sport. And that isn't likely.