Padres' Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill have been a powerful offensive duo in July

San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Padres' Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill have been a powerful offensive duo in July

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated Jul 27, 2026 2:29 PM ET

Two players that have emerged in July for the San Diego Padres in July following early-season struggles are Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill. Their resurgence was on full display with back-to-back late game home runs on July 26 that led to a 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins.

The Padres are currently sitting at .500 following a sweep of the Marlins, who have gone from being of the hottest teams in MLB to logging a franchise record 12-game losing streak.

Prior to July, Machado was only batting .189 with a .673 OPS and an 85 wRC+. In July, he has posted a .288 batting average, a .964 OPS and a 161 wRC+.

Merrill has followed in his footsteps, as he was batting .213 with a .613 OPS and a 71 wRC+ before producing a .298 batting average, a .905 OPS and a 147 wRC+ in July.

Manny Machado before July:
.189 AVG | .673 OPS | 85 wRC+ | 0.7 fWAR

Manny Machado in July:
.288 AVG | .964 OPS | 161 wRC+ | 1.0 fWAR

Jackson Merrill before July:
.213 AVG | .613 OPS | 71 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

Jackson Merrill in July:
.298 AVG | .905 OPS | 147 wRC+ | 0.9 fWAR

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— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 27, 2026

Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado come up big in July for Padres

Machado and Merrill have been a solid offensive pairing in July and have provided the Padres with clutch performances.

On July 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Merrill hit a RBI single to put the Padres on the board following a leadoff walk to Machado. On July 21, Merrill hit a game-tying solo shot in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves and Machado later followed with his second home run of the night and his 22nd home run of the season that led to an 8-3 victory.

The duo's spark has fueled the Padres surge to within striking distance of a NL wild-card spot (two games back). Their game-changing swings have showcased their return to form and if they continue to perform well this could position the Padres to be buyers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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