Whit Merrifield Trade Rumors: Phillies, Brewers Suitors for Royals 2B

As the July 31 MLB non-waiver trade deadline approaches, the Kansas City Royals will explore all of their options as sellers as they look to build for the future.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Saturday that Kansas City second baseman Whit Merrifield has drawn interest from both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Merrifield has just one full season of big league experience under his belt, but the 29-year-old has proved he can swing the bat. After hitting .288 with 19 home runs in 145 games last year, he is hitting .290/.359/.414 with five long balls and 25 doubles in 83 games.

Not only that, but he stole 34 bases in 2017 and has 16 so far this season.

Merrifield provides versatility not only at the plate, but also in the field. He has experience playing first, second, third and all three outfield positions in the majors. He has 56 appearances at second base this season.

Philadelphia is looking to snap a six-year playoff drought and has been exploring all of its options. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported Friday that the Phillies had moved on from the Manny Machado sweepstakes because the Baltimore Orioles' asking price is too steep. Meanwhile, they have also been linked to Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, per NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury.

This comes after they made big splashes during the offseason by signing Carlos Santana and Jake Arrieta.

Like Philadelphia, Milwaukee also turned some heads during the winter. The Brewers acquired outfielders Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain to give their team a boost. Now, they appear to be looking to solidify their offense with a nice complementary piece.

Both Philadelphia and Milwaukee currently hold at least a share of first place in their respective divisions.

While Merrifield may not have a ton of experience at the big league level, he has shown that he can make an impact with his bat. He has a career .282 average in the leadoff spot, which would help set the table for the likes of Santana or Yelich and Ryan Braun.

Merrifield is still a year away from arbitration and is under club control through the 2022 season.