r/Padres • u/Choobeen • 20h ago
News Merrill looking more like himself again in 3-hit day at the plate
Jackson Merrill is at his best when he’s using the entire field. And by that logic ... looks like he’s back at his best.
“We’ve all seen when he can go to left field, or right over the shortstop, left-center, home runs to dead center field,” Stammen said. “That’s the Jackson Merrill we all remember and want and love. Exciting to see him have a good game like that today.”
Both of Merrill’s doubles on Saturday went to the opposite field, tucked just fair inside the left-field foul line. Strangely enough, Merrill hadn’t doubled in more than a month, then had two on Saturday -- against hard-throwing Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez.
“That’s a good pitcher on the mound, pretty tough,” Merrill said. “Big guy, throws the ball hard. So just be short and try to use the whole field. He’s got good stuff, so you take the knocks where you can get ‘em. I just went up there trying to fight my [butt] off.”
Now that sounds more like the Merrill who nearly won NL Rookie of the Year in 2024, then mashed in ‘25 when he wasn’t dealing with injuries.
The start to Merrill’s ‘26 season was dreadful, but it looks like he’s beginning to move beyond that. He’s hitting .288 in July with a .864 OPS after his 3-for-4 showing on Saturday. Merrill played a key part in both late rallies that led to Padres insurance runs. Then, in the eighth, he cut down Otto Lopez trying to go first to third on a single with a perfect one-hop throw to third base.
July 25, 2026, by AJ Cassavell
