First opposing left-hander pushes Jose Azocar into center field, but Padres manager Mike Shildt says prospect Jackson Merrill will play 'as a regular player
One of the organization’s most-prized prospects, Jackson Merrill is not platooning as he begins his big-league career. But he is in the nine-hole for a reason as the team eases him into the majors. The team will also take advantage of opportunities that land in their lap, and the first left-hander on the schedule presented Padres manager Mike Shildt with his first natural chance to get the right-handed Jose Azocar into center field.
After all, with just 46 games at Double-A San Antonio, you can bet that Merrill had never seen anything like the two-seamer than Logan Webb ran 23 inches back to the middle of the plate on Thursday. “The best part of the game is when you come to the field, not get any hits and still contribute to the win,” Merrill said. “I can still go out and play good defense, can still run the bases like you should. I will say, though, that Logan Webb threw me the nastiest fastball I’ve ever seen.
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