Padres' Jackson Merrill Was 'Mad' When Best Friend Was Traded

Jun 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (3) comes off the field during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill spoke about how he felt when the Padres sent former top prospect James Wood — with whom he had played youth baseball — to the Washington Nationals as part of a package for Juan Soto in 2022.

“We all saw it, and we’re like, ‘Wow, wow, this is crazy,'” Merrill said. “And I’m sitting there, I’m mad. I’m happy for these guys, but I’m mad. I’m like: This is my best friend.”

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Wood is now playing for the Nationals at the MLB level, and is thriving in his first full season in the bigs. He has 21 home runs through 78 games and leads the club in nearly every offensive category.

Also included in the package were shortstop CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore, both of whom are playing very well in MLB.

Soto stayed in San Diego through 2023, however, the Padres failed to convert Soto's presence into a World Series championship, and traded him to the New York Yankees in the trade which brought Michael King, Randy Vasquez, Kyle Higashioka and Drew Thorpe to the Padres.

The Padres selected Merrill and Wood with their first- and second-round picks in the 2021 draft, and had played together in both rookie ball and Single-A.

“I wouldn’t change anything in the past,” Merrill said. “I love our team. He’s having fun over there. We’re having fun over here. That’s all I can ask.”

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Merrill returned from the concussion injured list on Sunday, and is in the lineup again for the series opener against the Nationals.

He is a big boost to the Padres lineup, as he is hitting .303 with five home runs on the year. He went 1-for-4 with a double in his first game back against the Kansas City Royals.

Merrill and Wood will face off against each other in a three-game series at Petco Park for the first time on Monday as the Padres continue their hunt for the final spot in the NL Wild Card. They are half a game back from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card, and five games back from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. First pitch against the Nationals is at 6:40 p.m. PT.

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