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Jackson Merrill heating up at the right time

Jackson Merrill is getting hot at the right time for the San Diego Padres. Over the last seven games, he has eight hits, four of which were home runs, six runs and seven RBI. Merrill has also recorded one walk with nine strikeouts, but the Padres have limped to a 3-4 record over that same time period. Merrill has homered in each of the past three games and has recorded multiple hits in two of the three games. The resurgence of Merrill has been a welcomed sight for San Diego and the Friar Faithful.

The second-year centerfielder burst onto the scene in 2024 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting, ultimately losing the award to Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. Merrill was rewarded for his successful rookie season and signed a nine-year, $135 million contract extension on April 2 keeping him in San Diego through the 2034 season.

Understandably, the expectations for Merrill were high coming into 2025, but he has struggled to stay on the field. Merrill suffered a hamstring injury in April, a concussion because of a hard tag, while sliding into second base in June and a sprained ankle after an at-bat at Dodger Stadium in August. The start-and-stop nature of the season has made it difficult for the budding star to find consistency at the plate. As expected, Merrill’s numbers are down.

Heading into play against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Merrill has 398 at-bats in 105 games. He has compiled 104 hits with 21 doubles, six triples and 14 home runs. He has 51 runs scored, 61 RBI and 30 walks with 97 strikeouts. His season slash line is .261/.316/.450. Merrill has one stolen base and has been caught twice.

Merrill finished the 2024 season with 554 at-bats in 156 games. He compiled 162 hits with 31 doubles, six triples and 24 home runs. He had 77 runs scored, 90 RBI and 29 walks with 101 strikeouts. His season slash line was .292/.326/.500. Merrill swiped 16 bases and was caught three times.

Some of the overall season numbers will be down for Merrill, but if he can continue his current production, or something close to hit, he could be the catalyst to a successful conclusion to the regular season and an extended playoff run.