The San Diego Padres came into the weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a one-game lead in the NL West. But, after getting swept, they’re back in second place in the west and will look to make up ground before their next matchup soon.
But, one of the main takeaways from the series finale wasn’t the loss, but rather that All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill was taken out of the game.
After the game was over, Annie Hellibrunn of the San Diego Sports Association shared Mike Shildt’s update on Merrill departing the game early. Fortunately, Padres fans could breathe a sigh of relief regarding the update on Merrill.
Shildt said Merrill has been dealing with “an ankle that’s been bothering him.” Said it’s sore, but doesn’t think it will linger beyond a “day-to-day type of thing.” #Padres
— Annie Heilbrunn (@annieheilbrunn) August 17, 2025
“Shildt said Merrill has been dealing with ‘an ankle that’s been bothering him.'” Helibrunn reports, “Said it’s sore, but doesn’t think it will linger beyond a ‘day-to-day type of thing.'”
This is a very encouraging report considering the potential for Merrill to be out for longer. The Padres’ young outfielder also had tweaked his ankle earlier in the game, and if he had been dealing with it for some time, then coming out of the game isn’t odd.
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The 22-year-old hasn’t been nearly as incredible as he was in his rookie campaign, but he’s been a solid contributor this season, hitting .262 through 90 games with a .734 OPS.
Losing him for an extended period would sting, especially since he’s already missed time earlier this season. His second trip to the IL would be a tough blow amid the Padres’ pursuit of the Dodgers for the NL West.
But, this report points towards Merrill being okay, and only dealing with the ankle issue on a day-to-day basis rather than an issue which a stint on the injured list would be likely.
It’s a sigh of relief for the Padres, as at the very least, Merrill didn’t suffer an injury that will keep him out for long. While the series sweep to the Dodgers stings, the Padres avoided disaster with Merrill’s injury scare.
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