Padres' Jackson Merrill Will Earn $5 Million This Weekend

The 500th plate appearance of Merrill's 2026 season is especially lucrative.

San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) celebrates after hitting a double during the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park on Aug. 12, 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When Jackson Merrill signed a nine-year contract extension with the Padres in April 2025, the value of the deal was widely reported as $135 million.

That number is about to get bigger.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Merrill's 500th plate appearance of the season triggers a bonus clause that pays an additional $1 million "to five different years of his contract." Merrill is sitting on 499 plate appearances heading into Friday's game in Cleveland.

The minimum guarantee of Merrill's contract would instantly rise from $135 million to $140 million. The extension also came with a team option for 2035, with a base value of $21 million.

The perks of Merrill's contract don't end there. That club option for 2035 becomes a player option if he finishes in the Top 5 in the National League MVP race. Since June 9, he's been playing like an MVP.

In 57 games since then, Merrill is slashing .296/.320/.522 with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs. His .841 OPS during that stretch ranks 25th in the National League. Throw in his plus defense in center field, and only five NL players have accumulated more WAR (per FanGraphs) since Merrill turned his season around.

Merrill won't win the MVP award this season, or finish in the Top 5, because of his production to that point. He was hitting .198 with a .594 OPS after his 0-for-4 game against the Cincinnati Reds on June 8.

The Jekyll-and-Hyde season is emblematic — not just of the risks teams incur by issuing long-term contract extensions, but of the struggles typical among the few 23-year-old players who are talented enough to hold an everyday spot in a big league lineup.

Merrill is still in just his third major league season, but it's arguably been his most important so far. His ability to adjust on the fly amid the constant pressure to perform, and to live up to the expectations that come with a $135 million contract, was never guaranteed.

Not only has Merrill risen to the challenge, but he's unlocked a lucrative bonus along the way. He's carried the rest of the Padres with him.

The Padres were 34-31 on the last day Merrill had a sub-.200 batting average. They're 31-26 since, turning what looked like a lost season into a potential wild-card berth.

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