The San Diego Padres are patiently waiting for Jackson Merrill to make a late-season return to the lineup. The young outfielder’s rehab has progressed well, and the expectation is for him to be activated on Aug. 30. Merrill has been absent since spraining his left ankle in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 15.
The injury occurred in the ninth inning, as Merrill rolled his ankle coming out of the batter’s box. Team doctors confirmed the diagnosis after X-rays showed no fracture. The imaging
put everyone at ease, as the left ankle is healing with no expected setbacks. If you attended last weekend’s games at Petco Park, Merrill could be seen ramping up his pregame baseball activities without restriction.
Shildt cannot wait for Merrill’s return
One person who is excited about his return is Padres manager Mike Shildt. It will give the team one of the best defensive outfields in the majors today. All three starters (Ramon Laureano in left, Merrill in center, and Fernando Tatis Jr. in right) can play center field, so not many balls hit to the gap will reach the wall. Quality outfield defense is a key trait of teams that advance in the postseason. It prevents the opposition from having a high-scoring inning that changes the game’s momentum.
The team is getting healthy at the right time, as the upcoming schedule sees the Friars facing two teams that they’re battling for a postseason berth. The Padres welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Petco Park from Sept. 8 to 10. The following week, the team travels to Citi Field to face the New York Mets from Sept. 16 to 18. Each series outcome will play a crucial role in determining which teams advance to the playoffs.
Merrill has an opportunity for a strong 2025 finish
It has been a frustrating sophomore campaign for him. Merrill has spent a considerable amount of time on the injury list with hamstring issues in April and suffered a concussion in June. The missed time has impacted his production at the plate this season.
Merrill is batting .261 with nine home runs and 51 RBI. But despite all his struggles, he remains a plus defender in center field. 2025 has been a grind, but Merrill has handled adversity very well. His return makes the Friars lineup long and dangerous in the season’s final month. Adding another productive bat would be a boost for the Padres.
Hopefully, it will not take long for Merrill to get back on track offensively at the plate. Finishing the season strong would be a fitting end to a rough year.
