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Jackson Merrill, the new figure of the San Diego Padres, has fans in Southern California more than excited. There was great concern when he was hit by a Devin Williams fastball on the left forearm, although he ultimately suffered nothing more than a nasty bruise
Fresh off the injured list, Merrill took it out on the New York Yankees ace Max Fried, then hit a run-scoring single to put the Padres ahead against pitches from Fried and Luke Weaver
The similarities between Merrill and Freddie Freeman
With this performance, renowned sports analyst Tom Verducci made a comparison that at first sounds excessive, but for this moment in his season, it makes sense. The pairing was none other than Freddie Freeman, none other than a Los Angeles Dodgers star who has a $162 million contract.
"I know it's high praise, but look at these swings, almost identical... I never thought I'd see someone with a setup and swing like Freddie Freeman's. It's so unique, so good. Jackson Merrill comes very close," said Tom Verducci.
In fact, Merrill's numbers for the 2025 season are more than revealing, as before falling on the injured list, he was already the star of the Padres with more than respectable numbers: a .301 batting average with four home runs, 102 RBIs and 17 stolen bases so far.
For his specific weight in the San Diego nine, Padres manager Mike Shildt was very attentive to Merrill's progress, hoping to be able to count on him as soon as possible
In fact, Merrill was out of action for a month after suffering a strain in his right hamstring and has just reed the squad. However, the manager reported that during this time the player remained mentally prepared for the games:
"He stayed focused on the competition outside of it. He focused, reviewed his scouting reports almost daily to keep his mind ready. He took his physical rehabilitation very seriously and was able to come back and perform as he has done," he said
Before hitting the injured list, Merrill was batting .378 with a 1.091 OPS.