Jackson Merrill’s Incredible Game 3 Catch Produced the Season’s Best Mid-Interview Moment

Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill made two incredible catches early in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Brewers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jackson Merrill’s impressive fielding early in Game 3 of the National League division series had Brewers manager Pat Murphy cursing his luck.

In the top of the third, Murphy was being interviewed by Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci for Fox’s broadcast. Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick was at bat while Verducci asked about Milwaukee’s plate approach when Frelick blasted a pitch into the right-center field gap. That’s when things got funny.

Murphy cut off the interview to yell, “Get in the gap, Sal.” Then, as he saw Merrill close on the ball, he added, “God d-----, Merrill,” as San Diego’s center fielder made a beautiful sliding catch.

Video is below. Warning for NSFW language.

Pat Murphy has had enough of Jackson Merrill tonight 😂 pic.twitter.com/KaiL5ufSU6

— Baseball Is Dead (@baseballisdead_) October 7, 2026

It was Merrill’s second highlight-reel catch in the first three innings, as he also robbed Jackson Chourio of extra bases in the first inning with a similar catch in left-center. The Jackson-on-Jackson robbery is below.

Jackson Merrill robs Jackson Chourio with a superb grab! pic.twitter.com/527KXYTVDb

— MLB (@MLB) October 7, 2026

To add insult to injury, with the Padres up 1–0 in the bottom of the third, Merrill ripped a single to center, breaking an 0-for-11 career streak against Brewers starter Dustin May. He later stole a base and scored on a Manny Machado single, increasing San Diego’s lead to 2–0.

The Padres are playing for their season on Tuesday night. They trail the Brewers 2-0 in the NLDS after their usually stellar bullpen blew both of the first two games. Conversely, for Milwaukee, a win would send them to the NLCS for the second year in a row.

San Diego is attempting an improbable comeback from down 2–0. Teams taking a two-game lead in any best-of-five series in MLB history are 83–10, a winning percentage of 89.2%. The last team to come back from an 0–2 deficit was the 2017 Yankees. They beat Cleveland after losing the opening two games. That New York team came within a game of the World Series before falling to the Astros in seven games.

The Padres have done this before. In 1984, they trailed the Cubs 0–2 in the NLCS, then came back to win the best-of-five series and reach their first World Series in franchise history.

Merrill is doing his best to try to make that happen again.

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