Jackson Merrill’s Bat Is Heating Up at the Best Possible Time

While his plate discipline is still lacking, seeing Merrill make harder contact gives the Padres a lot to look forward to as the season winds down. 

Ripple Effect

The Padres rank 22nd in slugging percentage and 29th in home runs, so Merrill finding his stroke should add thump to the lineup and help elevate the Padres’ offense to the elite level many expected it to be at this season. The lack of continuity throughout the lineup to this point can largely be attributed to Merrill’s up-and-down season. 

The Padres’ lineup becomes exponentially harder to work through when it features a rolling Merrill. He has driven in 10 runs in his last 11 games, helping San Diego’s offense run like a well-oiled machine. And once a pitcher does work through Merrill, they still have to face power threats like Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn, and Gavin Sheets. 

Postseason Success?

It is obviously nice to see that Merrill is back to mashing the baseball, but how can he sustain the success?

He will need to continue playing to his strengths, which are hunting pitches away and driving them to the opposite field. Another key will be to stay aggressive and avoid falling back into the tentative approach that haunted him earlier this season. When Merrill is on time against the fastball, his swing naturally unlocks power to all fields.

The Padres don’t need Merrill to be a superstar every night, but they do need him to be a consistent presence in the middle of the lineup. If he keeps producing extra-base hits, it forces pitchers to pitch to the rest of the order — and that’s when San Diego becomes dangerous.

The playoffs are often defined by a handful of players who get hot at the right time. If Merrill keeps trending upward, there’s a real chance he could be that guy for the Padres this October.