Merrill went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's extra-inning win against the Dodgers to push his batting average up to .333 on the season.
Among Merrill's three hits Sunday was a sixth-inning infield single that plated the game-tying run. The rookie hit just .233 through his first 11 major-league games but has been swinging a hot bat since, going 11-for-24 (.458) over his subsequent seven contests. Merrill has knocked just one homer and notched just five RBI, but he's scored 12 runs and has a pair of steals along with an 8:11 BB:K that suggests he's handling big-league pitching just fine.
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Padres' Jackson Merrill: Notches second steal
Rotowire
Merrill went 0-for-2 with two walks, a run, an RBI and a stolen base Wednesday in a 10-2 win against the Cubs.
Merrill didn't collect any hits in the contest, but he made a productive out with his second-inning fielder's choice that brought home the Padres' second run. The rookie also picked up his second theft of the campaign, both of which have come his past four games. Merrill is batting a steady .286 on the season, and though he has just one homer and three RBI, he's posted a promising 7:10 BB:K and has scored 11 runs through 15 games.
Merrill went 4-for-4 with a stolen base in Sunday's loss to the Giants.
Merrill produced his third career mulit-hit game and had more than two hits for the first time. Since hitting his first MLB homer April 1, the rookie had gone 2-for-9 over the last four games. Merrill is now slashing .324/.395/.471 with three extra-base hits and eight runs scored.
Merrill is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The Cardinals are rolling out southpaw Zack Thompson, so the left-handed hitting Merrill will take a seat. The Padres will go with Jose Azocar in center field.
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Padres' Jackson Merrill: Belts first big-league long ball
Rotowire
Merrill went 1-for-3 with a solo home run Monday in a loss to the Cardinals.
San Diego was down 4-0 when Merrill took Kyle Gibson deep to left field for the first home run of his major-league career. The 20-year-old has gone 3-for-7 with two RBI over his past two games, so he may be settling in after starting the campaign with just two hits over his first 14 at-bats. Merrill has started all but one of San Diego's seven games so far, so the team appears to be giving him plenty of space to get accustomed to major-league pitching.
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Padres' Jackson Merrill: Won't start Friday vs. lefty
Rotowire
Merrill is not in the lineup Friday against the Giants.
Merrill started in center field Thursday, and he finished 0-for-2 with one run, one walk and one strikeout while batting ninth. With left-hander Kyle Harrison starting for the Giants on Friday, Jose Azocar will play center field and bat ninth.
Padres' Jackson Merrill: Collects first big-league hits
Rotowire
Merrill went 2-for-5 with a double and scored two runs in Thursday's 15-11 win over the Dodgers in the second game of the Seoul Series.
After going hitless in his first MLB game Wednesday, Merrill collected his first big-league knock with a third-inning single off Michael Grove on Thursday. The rookie added a leadoff double in the fifth frame, and he came around to score following both of his hits. Merrill has gone 2-for-8 with three strikeouts through two contests, and he could have a moderately long leash in center field given the team's lack of outfield depth this season.
Padres' Jackson Merrill: Officially selected to MLB roster
Rotowire
The Padres selected Merrill to the 26-man active roster Tuesday.
Merrill spent last season in High-A and Double-A, slashing .277/.326/.444 between the two levels, and he seemed poised to reach Triple-A heading into spring camp. However, the 20-year-old prospect went 13-for-37 with two homers and six RBI during spring training, earning himself the job as the Padres' primary center fielder. Now that he's in the majors, fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Merrill struggles to initially adjust to MLB pitching, but he certainly has the potential for a successful big-league career.
