It’s no secret that Jackson Merrill has had a rough start to the season offensively. The young center fielder is batting .203/.273/.322 with a .595 OPS. It’s been tough going for Merrill, to say the least. He’s been one of several problems with the San Diego Padres’ offense. And that’s why this news is tough to swallow. Merrill tweaked his back in Wednesday night’s game attempting to rob a leadoff home run from Shohei Ohtani. He remained in the game for three innings but seemed to be in pain. Bryce Johnson replaced him in the fifth inning for the remainder of the game.
Jackson Merrill Health Status Unclear, Padres Move Could Be Coming
Manager Craig Stammen stated that Merrill underwent testing and that his status is uncertain. He seems to be mostly alright, but the Padres have the benefit of a good record. They could easily place Merrill on the injured list simply to give him time to reset. He’s been even worse offensively lately, batting .087 in his last seven games. Some time off could help. But who takes his spot in center field? Johnson is known more as a defensive piece than for his bat. It’s possible that Nick Castellanos could play left field and Ramón Laureano could slide over to center. But what might be even better than any of those is patiently waiting to be called up from Triple-A.
Jackson Merrill was already gone by the time we got to the Padres clubhouse. Craig Stammen says he’s having some testing done and they’ll know more tomorrow or Friday. Said he felt discomfort on back after hitting wall on Ohtani HR
— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) May 21, 2026
An Offensive Spark From an Unlikely Place
Enter outfielder Jase Bowen. The Padres’ No. 23 prospect had himself a wonderful spring training. He slashed .296/.333/.630 with four homers. That added up to a phenomenal .963 OPS. If not for a crowded bench picture including Castellanos, Johnson, Miguel Andujar, and Ty France, Bowen would likely have been given a spot on the roster. Instead, he’s spent the season with Triple-A.
It’s easy to argue that the spring training numbers were a flash in the pan, and it is a small sample size (54 at-bats). But Bowen has raked all the same in the minors. Across 39 games with the El Paso Chihuahuas, Bowen is batting .299/.366/.623 with a .989 OPS.
We may be down but not out yet! Jase Bowen hit a home run 462ft! pic.twitter.com/s2zR5vl5I1
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) May 9, 2026
The Friars are in desperate need of an offensive addition to their club. Their offense looked incredibly unhealthy in their recent series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, only scoring five runs across all three games. That came right after San Diego outscored the Seattle Mariners 17-7 last weekend. The inconsistency in the lineup has hurt the club, and Bowen could bring a much-needed jolt to the clubhouse.
Bowen’s Surge in the Minors
2026 is Bowen’s first season starting at the Triple-A level. Until now, he had only played 36 games at the Triple-A level while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That time came last year, which saw Bowen on a meteoric rise, starting 2025 in Single-A and ending in Triple-A. Across those 36 games, Bowen slashed .295/.386/.484 for the Indianapolis Indians.
That offensive production has continued with the Padres in the Pacific Coast League. Bowen has looked even better, taking a step forward at the plate. He’s slugged 11 home runs and has 29 RBI through the Chihuahuas’ first 42 games of the season. If Bowen can bring even a shred of that production to the big-league club, it would be a major boost for the Friars.
A Platoon in Center Field
That leaves the inherent possibility that Bowen and Johnson platoon in center field. Johnson has always been a glove-first outfielder, owning a career .236/.296/.301 slash line. He hasn’t done much to disprove that this season, with an even worse .207 batting average and .557 OPS. It’s easy to think that Bowen’s glove may not be as good as Johnson’s, but that’s not true. Bowen owns an elite .980 fielding percentage in center field through 28 games. He’s made only one error across 50 total chances. Bowen could be a major contributor to the Padres’ clubhouse on both sides of the ball if they’re willing to call him up.
Main Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
