The Toronto Blue Jays and Whit Merrifield both declined his $18 million mutual option for 2024, making the three-time All-Star a free agent.

The Blue Jays, who made the announcement on Friday, will owe the 34-year-old second baseman/outfielder a $500,000 buyout.

Merrifield was the only Toronto player named a Silver Slugger finalist in 2023 after batting .272 with 11 home runs, 67 RBIs and 26 stolen bases in 145 games.

Merrifield made the American League All-Star team for a third time in 2023, joining his 2019 and 2021 selections as a member of the Kansas City Royals.

He is a lifetime .284/.330/.420 hitter with 90 homers, 470 RBIs and 201 stolen bases in 1,052 games for the Royals (2016-22) and Blue Jays. Toronto acquired him from Kansas City on Aug. 2, 2022 in exchange for right-hander Max Castillo and infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor.

Merrifield has led the AL in stolen bases three times (2017, 2018, 2021), hits two times (2018, 2019) and in doubles (2021) and triples (2019) once each.

–Field Level Media