Inside The Padres

MLB Insider Who Had Beef With Padres Was Surprised Paul Skenes Beat Jackson Merrill

Maren Angus-Coombs

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Jackson Merrill would have won the National League Rookie of the Year any other season by a landslide — but Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes was an outlier.

Skenes accumulated 136 total points with 23 first-place votes while Merrill had 104 and just seven first-place votes.

Although Merrill didn't take home the Rookie of the Year Award, it's undeniable that he delivered the best rookie campaign in franchise history. In many seasons — like this year in the American League — Merrill's performance would have easily secured him the honor.

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Baseball insider Ken Rosenthal also thinks Merrill should have won despite the Padres carrying a grudge against the reporter in the postseason.

"Jackson Merrill from day one with the Padres was equally brilliant," he said on Foul Territory. "I thought generally speaking a voter, at least I'm speaking for myself here, prefers the position player to the pitcher in a circumstance like this."

Across 156 games, Merrill dominated among major league rookies, leading in several key categories.

He posted a 5.3 fWAR, racked up 162 hits, 61 extra-base hits, and 90 RBIs, while batting .292, and slugging .500. His 24 home runs tied him for first among rookies with Colton Cowser, who placed second in the AL Rookie of the Year race. On top of his offensive numbers, Merrill excelled defensively in center field, recording an impressive 12 Outs Above Average.

Cowser and Merrill were both favorites for most of the season but both lost to pitchers. Merrill's numbers go beyond the standard stat sheet.

Merrill proved to be one of the most clutch rookies in history, delivering in high-pressure moments against some of the game’s top relievers. Facing arms like Mason Miller, Edwin Díaz, and Blake Treinen, Merrill crushed five game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning or later. This feat made him not only the youngest player in the expansion era (post-1961) to accomplish such a streak, but also the first rookie to do so.

If Merrill had taken home the award, the Padres would’ve landed an extra draft pick thanks to the Prospect Promotion Incentive. Since they brought him up on Opening Day and gave him a full season of service time, it would’ve meant a selection after the first round.

Instead, San Diego's Rookie of the Year drought continues, with no Padre claiming the award since Benito Santiago back in 1987. It’s now the longest active streak without a winner among all MLB teams.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite being raised in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer for the LA Sports Report Network.

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