All-Star center fielder Jackson Merrill landed on the injured list Tuesday, a week after finalizing a $135 million, nine-year deal with the San Diego Padres.
He’s out with a right hamstring strain in a huge blow for the NL West leaders.
Merrill was off to a sizzling start, hitting safely in his first eight games. He is batting .378 (14 for 37) with three homers and 10 RBIs. Before getting injured, he had helped the Padres to the first 6-0 start in their 57-season history.
Merrill, who turns 22 on April 19, was moved from shortstop to center field in spring training last year when the Padres had only two outfielders on their roster. He made the Opening Day roster and hit .292 with 24 homers, 90 RBIs and 16 stolen bases and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes.
Merrill made it clear after his rookie season that he wanted to stay with the Padres long term, and the team announced last Wednesday that it had signed him to a nine-year deal with an option for a 10th season.
The 2021 first-round draft pick, who would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season and for free agency after the 2029 World Series, becomes the latest Padre to sign a nine-figure contract, joining Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Yu Darvish.
The Padres recalled outfielder Oscar Gonzalez from Triple-A El Paso.
