Philadelphia Phillies Potential All-Star Target Moving Closer to Decision

Rumors continue to swirl that the Philadelphia Phillies are searching for a splash addition in the free agency market before the new season begins.

Whether that's Cody Bellinger, Jordan Montgomery, or some other available players still out there, the Phillies have plenty of options if they wish to bring someone in.

One lesser-profile player the front office reportedly had interest in was Whit Merrifield.

Philadelphia has been rumored to be looking for a fourth outfielder this offseason, but has found it difficult to court anyone on the market because they can't guarantee playing time.

Besides Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas, who are projected to be their starters, Jake Cave and Cristian Pache are also on the roster.

Merrifield is coming off an All-Star selection last year with the Toronto Blue Jays, the third of his career. He posted a slash line of .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI across 145 games.

He also split his time between the outfield and infield with the Blue Jays, making him one of the best utility players on the market.

At 35 years old, it's unclear what type of contract he's looking to receive, but MLB insider Jon Morosi reports that his market has started to heat up, with five teams showing interest, and a decision could be made by the end of the upcoming weekend.

That timeline makes sense for Merrifield so he can get to Spring Training as soon as possible and start working with his new teammates and coaching staff.

It's unclear whether the Phillies are one of the five teams who are in the mix for the veteran outfielder, but based on their search for depth pieces, this decision will be one to monitor.