Despite winning the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies were ousted from the postseason in the NLDS. Whit Merrifield thinks he figured out exactly what went wrong for the Phillies.

Merrifield was a member of the team from Feb 19 to July 12. The utility player joked that his release played a role in Philadelphia’s demise, via Foul Territory.

“Have you seen their record after they released me?” Merrifield said with a smile. “Numbers are numbers.”

Getting more serious, Merrifield acknowledged the Phillies’ struggles towards the end of the season. Perhaps he could’ve helped if he was still on the roster. But ultimately, he admits the team went cold while facing a red hot New York Mets.

“Everything that went right early on seemed to go wrong towards the end. It’s just about being hot at the right time. You look at the two teams. I’m not going to take anything from the Mets, they’re a good team. But they’re hot right now. In no world do you put those two teams on paper and the Mets advance over the Phillies in my opinion.”

Merrifield’s joke hits a little harder when you realize his own personal struggles with the team. Over 53 games in Philadelphia, the utility player hit just .199 with three home runs, 11 RBI and 11 stolen bases. He ended his season with the Atlanta Braves, hitting .248 with a home run, four RBI and six stolen bases over 42 games.

While Whit Merrifield is able to laugh, the Phillies will be entering their offseason looking to bounce back. Philadelphia has already committed to their coaching staff, proving that they believe they have all the pieces in place to succeed.

But to Merrifield’s point, games aren’t won on paper. Ultimately, the Phillies will need to earn their right to compete for a World Series title. Merrifield will be watching intently to see how Philadelphia responds.