Jackson Merrill didn’t need much time to explain how he feels about James Wood’s rise in Washington.
“I just miss him. He’s an awesome dude," Merrill told The San Diego Union-Tribune.
That friendship now comes with a sting for the Padres. Wood, one of the prospects shipped to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade, has turned into exactly the kind of power bat San Diego could use right now. The Washington right fielder already has 26 home runs, which ranks sixth in Major League Baseball, and his .962 OPS is second-best in the National League.
San Diego, by contrast, has been starving for impact offense. The Padres own the second-lowest slugging percentage in baseball at .372 and have hit only 98 home runs as a team, the ninth-fewest in the league.
Merrill and Wood go way back. The two were friends as teenagers on the travel-ball circuit after growing up in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area, and they later became teammates in 2021 when the Padres took Merrill with the 27th overall pick and Woods with the 62nd.
By August 2022, Woods was with Single-A Lake Elsinore before being included in the Soto deal that sent him to Washington.
“It’s cool to see him from time to time,” Merrill said about the Padres and Nationals' two yearly series. “Obviously, I wish we were still on the same team. He’d be a huge problem on our team."
That last line hits because the Padres are dealing with plenty of problems already. They’re 5-10 in their last 15 games and sliding out of contention for a playoff spot.
The offense has been rough across the board. San Diego ranks dead last in MLB in team batting average and on-base percentage, and injuries in the starting rotation have only made things worse. The Padres also have the second-fewest quality starts of any team in baseball.
Still, Merrill said the group is trying to push through the skid.
"Yeah, I mean we're frustrated too. Can't take away from your frustration, but I promise we are doing all we can here to get these wins," Merrill said.
"Like I said, just have faith in us. It's baseball; you never know when s--- can go the other way, so we could heat up here really soon."
In Other News...
Nationals Top Prospect Just Delivered A Rochester Night Worth Watching
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Luke Young also fit into the picture after coming over from Harrisburg and picking up his fifth hold for Rochester, a small but useful sign of how the organization is shuffling arms to steady the Triple-A club. With House giving Rochester a jolt and the pitching staff piecing together enough clean innings to finish the job, the bigger question is whether this was a one-off burst or the start of something more sustainable for a team that could use a few more nights like it. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Have Every Reason To Question This Bullpen Approach
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Senators Face A Huge First-Place Test With Momentum Building
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Jared Simpson got the ball for Harrisburg in a short-opening role, expected to cover roughly an inning before handing things over to the next arm, while the SeaWolves countered with Jake Miller in his first appearance of the season for Erie after being called up from High-A West Michigan. With the Senators already assured of at least a split, the matchup had the feel of a first-place test that could say plenty about how real this recent run is. [Read more 🡒]