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Jackson Merrill Is Blistering Hot and Nobody in MLB Is Ready For It

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San Diego Padres logo on gradient background — Created by the Sports On Tap desk | Source : Sports On Tap (team logos property of their respective owners)

The San Diego Padres are on an absolute tear, extending their ridiculous win streak to seven games and snagging back-to-back sweeps for the third time this season after a nail-biter against the Giants. What a way to cap off the sweep! This team is just cooking right now, and everyone in the league should be taking notice.

The Friars Just Flat Out Raked Against the Giants

Seriously, the bats were on fire in San Francisco. The Padres’ lineup went a blistering 34-for-113 in the series, plus they drew 11 walks. We saw some huge moments, too. Ethan Salas finally got his first big-league hit with a triple at Oracle Park, which is awesome. Fernando Tatis Jr. was doing his thing, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, and Manny Machado absolutely mashed his 27th home run of the season. But listen, if you haven’t been paying attention to Jackson Merrill, you need to start. The guy is just unreal right now, hitting an insane .429/.433/.929 with a 1.362 OPS. That’s not just hot, that’s molten lava hot. When he’s swinging like that, this lineup is a problem for any pitcher.

Can They Keep This Vibe Rolling in Colorado?

Now, the Friars are heading into Coors Field for a four-game set against the Colorado Rockies, rounding out their penultimate road trip. Given how potent this lineup has been lately, dropping 37 runs in their last six games (that’s 6.2 runs per game!), they should be feeling good about keeping this streak alive. It’s a hitter’s paradise in Colorado, and this Padres squad is bringing the thunder.

They’re kicking off the series with Casey Mize on the mound against Tomoyuki Sugano. Mize has had a tough go since joining the Padres, rocking a 6.34 ERA in his first seven games, a lot of which is apparently tied to a groin injury he’s been pitching through. But he’s coming off a pretty decent start, throwing five innings of one-run ball against the Nationals before getting pulled. Sugano, on the other hand, has a 5.30 ERA, and while it dips a bit at home to 4.96, he’s been awful recently, with a 7.71 ERA over his last seven starts and giving up 14 runs in his last three. If San Diego’s hot lineup can jump on that, we could be looking at an eighth straight win. Plus, there’s talk Ty France might be back from the paternity list, though no official word from the Padres yet.

The Padres are on a mission, swinging like crazy and stacking wins. Can they make it eight in a row in the thin air of Coors Field? You know they’re looking to keep that momentum going!

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.

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