BREAKING: The San Diego Padres have placed outfielder Jackson Merrill on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained left ankle, effective retroactively from August 20, 2023. This injury marks the third time this season that Merrill has been sidelined, raising concerns about his ability to contribute effectively as the season progresses.
Merrill has been unable to play for the last six games after sustaining the injury last weekend at Dodger Stadium. The decision to officially place him on the injured list came only after it became clear that he would not recover within the designated 10-day timeframe. Since the injury, Merrill has been noticeably limping and also developed a bone bruise in addition to the sprain.
In his sophomore season, Merrill is batting .261 with nine home runs and 51 RBIs, a significant dip from his impressive rookie year where he finished as the runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2024. His OPS has also fallen from .826 to .729, indicating challenges in maintaining his prior production levels. Despite these struggles, he has proven to be a reliable offensive contributor and an exceptional defender in center field.
The Padres are expected to announce a corresponding roster move on Sunday to address Merrill’s absence. Fans are eagerly awaiting updates as the team navigates through this critical phase of the season. The implications of Merrill’s injury could significantly impact the Padres’ playoff aspirations, making this a developing story to watch closely.
Stay tuned for more updates as the situation unfolds.