Padres' young All-Star looks even better since returning from injury

It is still very early into Jackson Merrill's massive contract extension, but he is still getting better as a player. Just 22 years old, the Padres outfielder has already become a superstar in this league, even despite his recent hamstring injury that kept him off the field for a full month.

Merrill had a strong start to his 2025 campaign, and he didn't necessarily cool off since his return. Right out of the gate, Merrill produced 14 hits in his first five games back, but he didn't stop there. In his 33 games since coming back from the hamstring issue, he's recorded at least one hit in 24 of those contests, totaling 37 hits overall. It's not just his overall production, but a rather quick response to calm the Padres' fans nerves that his hamstring injury has not lingered.

Also, his current 127 OPS+ is higher (even if by just a tad) than last year's, which was 126. It just goes to show that in spite of a nagging injury, he is still playing like one of the best outfielders in the game, and is already exceeding his unforgettable rookie season.

Merrill's only 'concern' is that he only has two home runs since his return from the injury list, including zero in June. He's made up for it, though, compiling four doubles and a triple in each of the last two months, and has shown off his arm, proving to be one of the best in baseball. His arm strength sits in the 99th percentile in Major League Baseball, and sits well-above average in other defensive metrics.

Merrill has three outfield assists in 43 overall games after producing a league-best (eight) in 2024. He's clearly on another terrific pace.

So, is Merrill actually playing better than he was last year? Or better than his first 10 games of the 2025 season? We're seeing a very consistent Merrill at the plate, and it's almost expected of him to get at least one hit every night, all while playing elite defense in center field. It's safe to say he is only trending up.