The San Diego Padres are going to the postseason for the first time since their run to the NLCS in 2022. Here are some reasons—in no particular order—why they bounced back from their most disappointing season in franchise history:
Jackson Merrill’s impact
Trent Grisham (.198 AVG, .666 OPS, 50 RBI) was San Diego’s center fielder last year so it seemed obvious Merrill was going to be an upgrade but the question was how much of an upgrade would he be.
It turns out the 21-year-old wasn’t just a little better. He’s shown he can be one of the faces of the franchise—and maybe even the league—for the next decade.