Jackson Merrill nearly hit for the cycle, torching the Washington Nationals with two homers, a single, and a triple to power the San Diego Padres to a huge 9-2 sweep-clinching win! This team is officially back in the postseason, and while it’s probably gonna be a slugfest for that final Wild Card spot against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they’re playing like they mean business.
Merrill Goes OFF, Offense Stays HOT
Merrill’s performance was absolutely electric. A double shy of the cycle? That’s the kind of production you dream of. But honestly, the whole Padres lineup was just cooking on Wednesday. Even without Merrill’s monster day, the offense was still a combined 12-for-33. We saw three guys with three-hit games, including Ty France, Merrill, and Fernando Tatis Jr., and five players racked up multiple hits. That’s serious firepower from a lineup featuring names like Jake Cronenworth, Manny Machado, Luis Campusano, Dustin Harris, Xander Bogaerts, and Freddy Fermin. And get this, Cronenworth had the day off on Wednesday, so imagine adding his bat back in! The Friars are looking dangerous right now, and they’ll need that energy heading into a seriously crucial road trip.
Road Trip Showdown: Ray’s Revenge Game?
Now the real test begins. San Diego is headed out on a road trip to face the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies, and these aren’t just any opponents: they’re divisional rivals who’ve already been eliminated from playoff contention. That means they’re playing loose, and while the Padres have the season series edge over the Giants, beating them 6-4, these games are anything but a gimme.
The pitching matchup shaping up is Anthony Molina for San Francisco against Robbie Ray for San Diego. Molina has been a pleasant surprise for the Giants, rocking a 1.88 ERA across 14 1/3 innings in three appearances, two of them starts. Remember him from the Braves where he only pitched five relief innings, or his rough two seasons with the Rockies? He’s been solid for San Francisco, only giving up three runs in his last three starts.
But the real drama? Robbie Ray’s homecoming! He was traded from the Giants at the deadline, and he’s had a weird season. He’s pitched “incredibly well” overall, but he’s struggled with the Friars, coming off a miserable start where he coughed up five runs in just 2 1/3 innings against the Yankees. This is the perfect chance for him to turn things around. He knows those Giants hitters inside and out from sharing a clubhouse, and San Francisco has struggled immensely to produce runs. Plus, the Giants are on a three-game win streak themselves after sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals, so they aren’t going to roll over.
The Padres are flying high after that sweep, but this road trip against the Giants and Rockies is where they can REALLY show they mean business for that Wild Card spot. Can Robbie Ray find his groove against his old squad? You know I’ll be watching!
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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