Padres' Jackson Merrill Reflects On Strong Performance at Fenway Park

Can the Padres keep things going?

The San Diego Padres are on fire right now, having won eight of their last 10 games overall. The team now holds a record of 46-42 on the season, currently sitting in second place within the National League West division.

Part of the reason why the Padres have been so good of late has been the play of rookie outfielder Jackson Merrill. Merrill won the starting job during spring training and has continued to shine bright all year.

So far this season, he is hitting .294 with 12 home runs and 42 runs batted in. While his play all year has been steller, his play over the weekend was especially great as it helped the Padres take their three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on the road.

Merrill finished the series going 7-for-14 over the three games with two home runs and five runs batted in. It was a homecoming of sorts for Merrill as he used to attend baseball games at Fenway Park when he was a kid.

Playing his first series at Fenway Park, where his parents took him as a kid during summer vacation, Jackson Merrill is 7-for-13 with two doubles and two homers this weekend.

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) June 30, 2024

Merrill has become a mainstay on the Padres' roster and the team has benefitted from his development this season. He is a patient hitter at the plate and it has paid off for him well. Merrill spoke about what it meant to him to hit a home run at Fenway this weekend.

"I don't usually like to talk about something I do. I like talking about the wins and stuff. But that was probably the dopest moment of my baseball career."

If he can continue his strong output, the Padres will be a in a great position to get themselves back to the postseason. He is a key piece to the overall success of San Diego on the year and has placed himself in a relied-upon role on the team.