Padres put outfielder Jackson Merrill on injured list with sprained left ankle
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Outfielder Jackson Merrill has been placed on the San Diego Padres’ 10-day injured list as he recovers from a sprained left ankle.
The Padres put Merrill on the list Saturday for the third time this season, making this move retroactive to Aug. 20. The club will make a corresponding roster move Sunday, manager Mike Shildt said.
The Padres made the move before they surged into first place in the NL West with a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. San Diego has won five straight without Merrill, who has missed their last six games since Aug. 17 after spraining his ankle last weekend at Dodger Stadium.
“I’m just proud of our boys,” Merrill said. “They’re grinding it out right now, and I can’t appreciate them more.”
While Merrill is frustrated by the pace of his recovery, he believes he’ll be ready to play on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“I want to play right now,” Merrill said. “I think these aren’t must-win games, but they’re very fun games to play in. I was just really excited and looking forward to this week, but we’re winning, and that’s all that matters.”
San Diego waited to make the roster move until it was clear Merrill couldn’t get fully healthy within the 10-day window. Merrill and Shildt said the outfielder wanted to play through the injury, but the Padres elected to be cautious.
“It’s been in flux the last couple of days,” Shildt said. “Jackson had a willingness to go out and play a little compromised, and I feel like he could definitely do it … but we looked up and did the math, and if he’s ready for (next week), he can go ahead and do his rehab, and we feel like it’s his best opportunity.”
Merrill has been moving with a limp since he rolled his ankle at the plate on Aug. 15, also incurring a bone bruise. He still played in two more games before sitting out.
Merrill is batting .261 with nine homers and 51 RBIs this season after finishing as the runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2024. He hasn’t been able to maintain his formidable rookie production in his sophomore season, with his OPS dropping from .826 to .729, but he has remained a steady offensive contributor and an excellent defender in center field.
Merrill also spent time on the injured list this season with a hamstring problem in April and a concussion in June.
“It’s been really up and down,” Merrill said. “It’s all flukes, and I don’t think there’s much I can control besides getting better. I’m just going to focus on the future right now.”
Ramón Laureano has replaced Merrill in center, and Gavin Sheets has taken over in left field. Laureano delivered a key two-run single in the fourth inning of the Padres’ victory Saturday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
