SAN DIEGO -- Jackson Merrill has made many difficult plays look easy over the past three seasons in center field. The former shortstop's athleticism is evident seemingly every time he patrols that spot.
His latest jaw-dropping catch was yet another reminder of his prowess.
Racing back toward the wall during the first inning of Monday afternoon’s series opener against the Nationals at Petco Park, Merrill leaped high to haul in a 105.6 mph laser off the bat of Abimelec Ortiz before crashing hard into the padding with his left shoulder, taking away extra bases for the second out of the frame. It was a nice welcome back for right-hander Nick Pivetta, who made his first start in nearly five months.
Merrill was slow to get up at first and was helped to his feet by right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. Merrill finished the inning and took his time coming off the field after the final out. But any worries about a potential injury were quelled moments later.
Facing Nats right-hander Jake Irvin in his first at-bat in the bottom half of the inning, Merrill ripped an RBI single at 109.9 mph to right to score Manny Machado and give the Padres an early lead. A few pitches later, he swiped second easily for his 25th stolen base of the year.
Merrill came through again in the third with a 106.3 mph single up the middle to plate the Padres’ third run of the day off Irvin.
It's a sigh of relief for the Padres, who have benefited greatly from Merrill’s second-half surge after a slow start. Merrill entered Monday batting .272 with 12 home runs, 32 RBIs and an. 847 OPS since the All-Star break.
As for his defense, Merrill continues to grade out as an above-average fielder, with +4 outs above average and +2 defensive runs saved in 2026.