Jackson Merrill of the Padres makes the best game-winning catch of 2024

San Diego’s sensational rookie Jackson Merrill delivered another convincing performance on Monday night, securing a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Petco Park.

This time he did it with his glove.

With two outs in the ninth inning and a runner on first base – who could have scored the tying point with a hard-hit ball to the outfield – Merrill lunged into the air and caught a sinking line drive from Bryan Reynolds for the last out. The center fielder ran about 58 feet to make the game-winning play.

“I was pretty far to the left and it was either lay-out or nothing,” Merrill said. “In that situation, I don’t think I can catch the ball and throw it in. I think I have to go get it and try to catch it. It was one of those adrenaline moments that makes you faint.”

Merrill is a shortstop turned center fielder, similar to Fernando Tatis Jr., who began his professional career as a shortstop and developed into a Gold Glove-winning right fielder in San Diego. Merrill rose through the Padres’ farm system as a shortstop and appeared in five games as a left fielder in Double-A.

In the middle, Merrill is having fun.

“Center is just fun,” he said. “I think it’s just fun. Because in the outfield, you’re running around and catching a baseball like you were a five-year-old. So I look at center field as the fun, more relaxed position you can play on the baseball field.”

Merrill was named National League Player of the Week on Monday after hitting four home runs, just one figure in the unfolding story of the 2024 Padres.

Starting pitcher Joe Musgrove did not allow a single run on Monday against his former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in his first Major League appearance in nearly 2.5 months. It had been 77 days since Musgrove last appeared in the game.

“It just felt good, man,” Musgrove said afterward. “I mean, this is where I feel most comfortable. The way we play, of course I want to be a part of it. I want to contribute. So, yeah, it was an incredible feeling to be back out there.”

Musgrove limited the Pirates to two hits and one walk in 4.1 innings. He had one strikeout.

Monday’s win was the Padres’ 17th in 21 games since the All-Star break. San Diego improved its record to 67-53 and remains four games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League.