The San Diego Padres announced Saturday evening they placed outfielder Jackson Merrill on the injured list, according to MLB.com’s AJ Cassevell.
Merrill is on the 10-day IL and will be eligible to return on August 30 against the Minnesota Twins.
Merrill has been dealing with a left ankle sprain and had been making progress, but not enough to keep him off the injured list. The Padres will make a corresponding move on Sunday.
Padres Will Be Without Their Star Outfielder
The announcement of Merrill’s move to the injured list came about a half hour before first pitch of the second game of the Padres’ and Los Angeles Dodgers’ pivotal series as the two teams battle atop the NL West.
Merrill initially injured his ankle slipping out of the batter’s box on August 15, last weekend against the Dodgers. The Padres’ outfielder played through the injury on Saturday and was pulled from Sunday’s game after struggling to move around.
Merrill then missed all four games against the San Francisco Giants and the first game of the Dodgers’ series on Friday. Now, the Padres make the decision they were hoping to avoid by sending their star outfielder to the IL.
Padres manager Mike Shildt provides the latest information on Jackson Merrill, who’s out of the lineup for a 6th-straight game tonight. pic.twitter.com/9yZHyTNTCT
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 23, 2025
“His gait and his walk is better, but as far as the mobility and explosiveness, we’re still exploring it,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said during pregame on Saturday.
Because Merrill missed the last four games, the Padres can backtrack the IL stint three days. So, Merrill only has to miss a minimum if six games before he is eligible to return.
By then, the Padres hope Merrill’s bone bruise has healed and he feels healthy enough to play at the level he’s capable of.
