"Saying sorry isn’t going to cut it when somebody loses an eye" - Whit Merrifield warns MLB amid growing hit-by-pitch concerns

Atlanta Braves second baseman Whit Merrifield discussed the growing problem of batters being hit by pitches in the big leagues. Merrifield attributes this issue to a shift in the pitchers' mindset, as modern major league pitchers chase variation and unpredictability more than control.

On Sept. 3, in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies at Truist Park, Merrifield had to exit the game in the bottom of the seventh inning after being hit in the head by a pitch from Rockies reliever Jeff Chriswell. Upon further examination, it was determined that no serious injury was sustained by Merrifield.

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers was also hit by a pitch in June, which led to him missing six to eight weeks due to a fractured left hand.

Merrifield said the issue is trending in a dangerous direction for major league hitters.

"It's come about because of the evolution of the game," he told sportswriter Jayson Stark. "This way that pitching is, I'm not saying it's worse now, I'm just saying it's different. The more the focus is how hard are you throwing, how much is your ball moving, the less the focus becomes on 'where am I throwing this ball?'

"Having said all that, from a guy that's playing and is invested in player safety, it's important that we address it and do something to make the pitcher feel like, 'okay, I can't just let this ball rip up and in and not have any consequences.' Saying sorry is not going to cut it when someone loses an eye, or something tragic happens." [1:26]

Whit Merrifield continues incredible fitness record, plays despite fractured foot

In the Braves' 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at home on Sept. 6, Merrifield fouled a ball off his foot in the bottom of the fifth inning. This led to an injury that could potentially have kept him out of action for more than five weeks. Upon further examination, it was revealed that Whit had suffered a small fracture in the area he had fouled the pitch off.

Whit Merrifield in action against the Dodgers - Source: Getty

However, the 35-year-old made his return to the Braves lineup for Friday's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing through the injury he suffered only a week ago. This continues his incredible streak of never being on the injured list since his debut for the Kansas City Royals back in 2016.

Merrifield had a decent night at the plate despite carrying an injury, recording two hits in four at-bats, as the Braves opened up the series with a 6-2 win over the Dodgers.