PHILADELPHIA — Whit Merrifield signed a one-year contract with the Phillies in February because he was under the impression he’d get enough at bats. Merrifield, 35, might finally be in position to get that with Trea Turner on the shelf. He hadn’t had the kind of chance to do so that he did Tuesday night, batting second in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. As is the case with so many spots in the batting order and so many positions in the field during his career, Merrifield has been there, done that before. Even in the two-hole. “I led off most of my career, but I hit second for a lot of time in Kansas City,” said Merrifield, who played for the Royals and Blue Jays before signing with the Phils. “I probably got, I don’t know, probably a year’s worth of hitting second in me (in K.C.).” In fact, the man listed on the Phillies roster as “utility” rather than any outfield or infield position thinks his offensive game isn’t as varied as his fielding game. He thinks he’s built to hit second. “I actually think my game profiles best in the two-hole,” Merrifield said. “I’m comfortable doing it. I don’t walk a lot. I’m a contact guy. I hit behind runners a lot. So when Kyle (Schwarber) hits a single — because he doesn’t hit homers much anymore — when he just hits a single, that right side of the field is open for me.” Naturally, Schwarber was listening in close by when this bit of info came to light in a clubhouse interview. “That’s what he does now,” Merrifield went on. “His name’s Kyle Schwingles. … But yeah I hit behind runners. Love to hit and run. Just an old school, two-hole prototype. That’s more my game.” Schwingle is what Merrifield did in the third inning Tuesday night, hitting behind Schwarber against some former Blue Jays buddies. He got another big opportunity in the fourth inning, coming up with the bases loaded and one out. He fouled off several pitches before going down on strikes on a Jose Berrios changeup. Little matter … it only set the stage for a Bryce Harper grand slam a few pitches later. Sometimes it’s good to be a second hitter in the Phillies’ lineup. But Merrifield was only there because J.T. Realmuto — who was moved up from the cleanup spot to the two-hole when usual second hitter Turner went down with his hamstring injury — had this night off. Defensively, Merrifield found himself in left field, as Edmundo Sosa took over at shortstop. But when Turner got hurt, Merrifield had texted manager Rob Thomson to offer himself as a candidate for the position, even if he hadn’t played it in KC or Toronto. He was mostly a second baseman or outfielder there. “I grew up at shortstop,” Merrifield said. “I know I haven’t done it in the big leagues, but just because I haven’t done it doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I just haven’t done it. I told (Thomson) I’d work over there if he needed me to and I didn’t think it would take too long to work the rust off, if that was a need. “One of my values is being versatile and doing different things. And shortstop is one of those things that hasn’t been on my resume as a big leaguer, but it can be.” Either way, no matter the position in the order or on the field, Merrifield is simply welcoming the work. “I didn’t expect someone to get hurt, but I did expect at bats to open up for me,” he said. “I’ve been a good player in this league for a while, and I felt like at some point that would show. I still feel like I’ve got a lot left in my tank and I felt like that would come out. “It’s been better the last couple of games but I still think I’ve got a lot more, and I’m looking forward to showing you guys what I can do and help this team win. We’ve got a good thing going right now and I’m just trying my best to ride the wave.” • • • NOTES >> Thomson on Alec Bohm before the game: “He’s fine. Just a day off. He had that long streak. He’s grinding it out pretty good.” Bohm was in the dugout during the game. His career-high 18-game hitting streak ended Monday. … With both Bohm and Realmuto out of the lineup for a night, recently warming Nick Castellanos tried his hand in the cleanup spot in the order. He opened his game with a double to knock home Harper from first base in the first inning. “(Monday) I thought his at bats were really good,” Thomson said of Castellanos. “He hit a ball hard the day before that, and he didn’t chase a ball at all yesterday, so that was good.”