Once again, the post seen in the photo has nothing to do with the beam in question. The post is off in the distance, supporting a different beam. Ignore it.
evolvingdesigns, there's no secret method to uncover, midspan beams splices are not okay. It's technically possible to transfer the moment from that ply into a scab, then back in on the other side of the splice (with at least 15 lag screws + a few feet on each side), but wood moments connections are not a good idea to begin with, and especially not in exterior exposed members of a deck. At least with a deck, there's no finish materials to be redone. Either put in a column and footing under the splice, run a full length sister next to it, or rip out that ply and replace it with a full length member. You see mid-span splices all the time in residential wood framing, and contractors need to understand that doing so makes that ply useless in bending. No better teacher than having to demo and rebuild it correctly.