Inside The Padres

Padres’ Jackson Merrill Has Locker at Yankee Stadium Hinting at Roster Move

Gabe Smallson|
Apr 2, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) warms-up before a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Apr 2, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) warms-up before a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

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San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres have a locker for Jackson Merrill at Yankee Stadium, but don't quite have a spot for him to debut on Monday.

The superstar center fielder hasn't been activated nor is he in the starting lineup, but per Padres insider AJ Cassavell, a locker is in the Bronx for Merrill, hinting at an imminent roster move.

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Also per Cassavell, the weather isn't exactly cooperating as it has been raining all day ahead of the contest against the New York Yankees. Monday is scheduled to be the start of a three-game series against N.Y.

Instead of the long-awaited Merrill returning to the lineup, former Yankees fifth round draft pick Brandon Lockridge is once again covering center field and will bat ninth.

The locker being in New York is a promising sign, give Monday was the original date Merrill was going to rejoin the team, but it is still a bit of a let down to fans since the superstar last played on April 6.

More news: Jackson Merrill Surprisingly Out of Padres Lineup vs Yankees on Monday

In what was originally a precautionary move to monitor Merrill's hamstring tightness turned into a long lasting IL stint for a hamstring strain. The timing wasn't ideal as it came just days after Merrill inked a nine-year $135 million deal to be a member of the Friars until 2034.

Fans will have to wait one more, potentially rain-filled, day to see their superstar back on the field, but the numbers he was already off to in 2025 gave more than enough reason for the excitement.

Before his injury, Merrill had a .378/.415/.676 slash line with a 1.090 OPS to kick off the year. He also added 10 RBIs and three dingers.

More news: Padres Pitcher Named Best Offseason Signing By Multiple MLB Execs

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles. His focus is sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at DodgersNation and Newsweek. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and is a Masters Candidate at the University of Southern California. You can get in touch with Gabe by emailing gabe.smallson@lasportsreport.com. You can find him on X @gabesmallson

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