The San Diego Padres are three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into Thursday night's action. The Dodgers said they acknowledged the Padres' success, and the old rivals are headed towards a close finish. In order to close the gap and steal the National League West, Padres manager Mike Shildt needs more from Jackson Merrill. Fernando Tatis Jr. can't do everything.
Merrill's season has been quite disappointing all around. For player that nearly won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2024, experts around Major League Baseball anticipated a big season from the outfielder. However, he has been in and out of the Padres' lineup thanks to injuries. Even when he has been available, his production is far from the high standard he set in his rookie season.
Despite his struggles, Merrill remains a key piece to the puzzle for Shildt. As a whole, the manager's roster is one of the most talented in the league. However, making the most of the players he has at his disposal has become a big challenge. Merrill has been at the center of it all. If he can get back on track, there is no telling just how far the Padres could go in the postseason.
The rest of the regular season and a potentially deep playoff run are crucial for the team. San Diego made some massive moves at the trade deadline to improve the team. Because of that, the championship window got a lot smaller for the Padres. However, it was the right time to go all-in. San Diego came as close as anyone to knocking off the Dodgers in last year's playoffs.
Regardless of how the season finishes, the Padres are a dark horse to win it all. However, Merrill can make them so much more.
A bounce back from Merrill brings San Diego some much-needed balance
Looking at the Padres' lineup, not much needs fixing. Manny Machado and Tatis Jr. leads the team when it comes to power hitting, a big reason why San Diego ranks near the top of the league in total offense. They are joined by players like Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts, both of whom are also having good seasons. However, the team's balance, or lack thereof, stands out.
Merrill is an interesting player when healthy because of how well-rounded he is. Slashing .259/.314/.422 is indicative of a player who is efficient with each at-bat he takes. However, injuries have kept him from getting into a rhythm this season at any point. If he repeated what he did in 2024, there is a good chance that the Padres would already be leading the NL West over Los Angeles.
Luckily for Merrill, he has more than 10 games to get back to normal before the postseason begins. He and Tatis Jr. are off the injured list and ready to build momentum heading into the playoffs. Both players are good enough to bring value to their team even if they are not hot at the plate. However, Shildt can do a lot around two elite hitters near the top of his batting order.
Merrill has what it takes to rise to the moment. He had his moments in the 2024 postseason, including in the Padres' series against the Dodgers. He and his teammates have plenty of motivation to come back and make a statement this season. The only question is whether or not his injuries are completely behind him or if they will continue to hold him back from his best.
Merrill's injuries could come back to haunt him
Shildt's All-Star outfielder has spent time on the IL at multiple points this season. In a vacuum, this might just be bad luck on Merrill's part. None of his three major issues are connected to one another, much to the relief of the Padres' fan base. However, his absence and the nature of his injuries make him a candidate to tweak something in a big postseason moment in the field.
Merrill is an excellent defensive player in center field. However, lower body injuries have a tendency to linger, especially for a player who runs as much as he does. The issues he has had with his legs are the chief reason why his steals are down from 16 as a rookie to just one in his second MLB season. Shildt does not want to take any chances with his 22-year-old star on the base paths.
While San Diego wants to be careful with Merrill, the time to fully unleash him is now. The Padres need players to increase their production to help the team's stars orchestrate a deep playoff run. If Merrill cannot break out of his season-long slump, San Diego will have to work itself out of a hole in the NL West, hurting them heading into the playoffs.
