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Jackson Merrill is Fueling the Padres' Postseason Push
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- Jackson Merrill is Fueling the Padres' Postseason Push
Not too long ago, the conversation surrounding San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill was bleak.
Entering the All-Star break, the 23-year-old was slashing just .219/.278/.350 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 93 games. Merrill's plate discipline was also not ideal, as he struck out 98 times and drew 28 walks.
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Merrill's struggles raised serious concerns about whether he could return to being the budding star he was in 2024. That year, he earned All-Star honors as a rookie and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .292 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI, and a .826 OPS over 156 games.
It has taken Merrill a while to find his stride again, but he has been an X-factor in the Padres' resurgent offense in the second half of 2026.
Over 56 games since July 17, he is slashing .315/.349/.594 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI. While Merrill's plate discipline still has room for improvement, evident in his 50 strikeouts and 11 walks over 219 at-bats in the second half, his major uptick in offensive production has been a big boost.
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Furthermore, his improved numbers have fueled one of baseball's best offenses in the second half. San Diego 's 280 runs scored after the All-Star break rank fourth-highest in MLB .
Merrill's numbers since the Midsummer Classic are more than satisfactory, but he's taken his game to a higher level in September during the Padres' stretch run.
In 14 games this month, the reigning National League Player of the Week is slashing .393/.407/.661 with three home runs and 13 RBI. Merrill ranks fourth in batting average and eighth in slugging percentage during that span.
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Merrill is currently on a seven-game hitting streak, during which he has recorded at least three hits in four games. Sure, all of those games have been against teams already eliminated from postseason contention, including the Washington Nationals , San Francisco Giants , and Colorado Rockies .
However, playoff teams and great players play well against and beat the teams they are supposed to. Merrill and the Padres have done just that, matching the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the National League in September at 10-4 .
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That surge has helped San Diego create separation from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Wild Card picture, as the Diamondbacks dropped two straight games to the Miami Marlins .
Entering Thursday, the Padres (83-69) have a 3.5-game cushion over the Diamondbacks (80-73) for the final National League Wild Card spot. Yet the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the Wild Card Series are well within reach, as San Diego sits just one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies (84-68) and 1.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs (85-68).
The Padres conclude their series in Colorado Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
