Jackson Merrill extension caps Padres' best start in franchise history
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Jackson Merrill inked a 9-year, $135 million extension with the Padres. Photo: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
Everything is coming up Padres.
Why it matters: A quiet offseason and ugly lawsuit over the team's ownership raised the specter of whether the golden era of Padres baseball was coming to an end, but those concerns can be set aside — at least for now.
Driving the news: The Padres are off to their best start in franchise history, and they just locked up one of the top young players in baseball for nearly a decade.
Follow the money: Jackson Merrill, the 21-year-old, all star center fielder and NL Rookie of the Year runner up, Wednesday morning signed a 9-year, $135 million extension.
- A few hours later, the Padres secured a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Petco Park pushing their season record to 7-0.
And, then: Merrill hit a third-inning home run, after a standing ovation from the Petco crowd, when the stadium announcer celebrated the news.
- The Baltimore product is now hitting .417 with two home runs to start the season.
State of play: The Padres get a day off after a blistering start that included home sweeps of the Atlanta Braves and Guardians, both playoff teams last season.
- Fernando Tatis, Jr. has looked the part of an MVP candidate, Manny Machado is hitting and flashing his trademark leather in the field, and the pitching staff has the best ERA in MLB.
Between the lines: Hovering over the Padres' picture-perfect start to the season is the lawsuit between Sheel Seidler, the widow of late team owner Peter Seidler, and his brothers over control of the team.
- Sheel accused Matthew and Robert Seidler of trying to "erase Peter's vision and legacy," after the late owner transformed the franchise into a financial juggernaut after it spent years as a low-spending, mediocre performing afterthought.
- Matthew denied her allegations — including that he was contemplating moving the team — and said he would continue to invest in the franchise.
The intrigue: Courts — not on-field success — will settle that dispute, but Merrill's extension is exactly the sort of financial commitment that was unimaginable for much of Padres history, but which Peter made the norm.
What's next: The Padres hit the road for a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs starting Friday, then another against the Athletics before returning home next weekend.