Jackson Merrill makes feelings known after returning from 10-day IL

Jackson Merrill returned for the San Diego Padres on Tuesday for their game against the New York Yankees. Merrill was placed on a 10-day injured list on April 8 due to a right hamstring strain. Before his return to the majors, Merrill played rehab games for the Padres' Double-A affiliate in San Antonio last weekend.

Before he suffered the injury, Merrill played 10 games, in which he batted .378 (14-for-37) with three home runs and 10 RBIs. In his return game, Merrill went 2-for-4 with one run scored in the Padres' 12-3 loss at Yankee Stadium.

During an interview with "97.3 The Fan," Merrill reflected on his return to the lineup and playing at an MLB ballpark again.

"I'm excited—getting a stadium, cool place—so I'm excited to get going," Merrill said. "Yeah, I know. I'm excited for an adrenaline rush. I haven't had one in a while, so I'm pretty excited about that."

Merrill also revealed why this injury took almost a month to return from.

"Well, it kinda just didn’t go away," Merrill said. "It was tough to stretch and stuff—tough to kinda get a range of motion back. But over time, it just gradually got better, like kinda over time it gradually got a little worse. So I’ve done everything I can—exercises, everything possible—to try and get healthy and make sure it's strong for the rest of the year."

Expand Tweet

Jackson Merrill shares thoughts on how it's like to be on IL

It wasn't easy for Jackson Merrill to watch the action from afar. Several Padres key players, like Yu Darvish and others, were on the injured list, resulting in the team losing games and slipping down the NL West standings.

Merrill shared his feelings about spending time on the injured list.

"I think everything just sucks about it," Merrill said. "You're kind of right there just sitting and watching, but there's nothing better than me watching baseball, cheering my guys on. So I appreciate being back, and I stayed mentally tough through it all. So we're here—it was only a month—and I'm ready to play the rest of the season."

Merrill's return should add a spark to the offense as the Padres (23-12) hope to chase down the Dodgers (24-12) and regain the division's lead.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

Know More

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash