After a stellar rookie season that almost saw him take home NL Rookie of the Year honors, San Diego Padres star Jackson Merrill has had a bit of a sophomore slump his second time around in the majors.
Then again, he hasn't really had much time on the field to continue to build on his magnificent 2024 season, a hamstring injury keeping him off the grass earlier this year, and now an ankle injury has seemingly popped up, threatening to further harm Merrill's chances to finish out the 2025 season on a fully healthy note.
And needless to say, the former All-Star is not too pleased about it.
What Does Merrill Think of His Injuries?
When speaking to reporters Sunday after leaving the Friars' series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Merrill was very vocal about his frustration surrounding his injury, and he wasn't afraid to let it out.
“It’s (expletive) frustrating,” Merrill said to the press. “You play all year last year, missed only a couple games last year and get to this year. It’s just fluke things, too. It’s not stuff I can control. I work in the weight room. I do all my stretching and it’s just fluke stuff that happens.
Merrill was also adamant about how much he wants to play, whether his ankle is 100 percent or not.
“For me, I just want to play,” Merrill said. “I don’t really give a (expletive) if I’m hurting or not. It’s not really anything to do with it hurting. It’s going to hurt. I rolled the hell out of it. It sucks.
For a team that is in a dead heat with the Dodgers for the NL West crown at this point in time, it's probably best that Merrill take the doctor's advice and lay low for a bit, so ensure that he'll be good to go in the likelihood that the Padres make the playoffs.