However, the amazing start has been overshadowed by San Diego's signing of 21-year-old center fielder Jackson Merrill to a nine-year, $135 million extension on Wednesday, keeping him with the team through 2035.

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Kolek will go to Triple-A El Paso to stay on a starter's schedule in case anyone else gets dinged up. At some point Darvish (elbow) and knuckleballer Matt Waldron (oblique) are expected to re-join the club. When they're healthy the Padres hope to have enough depth to make it through the grind of a 162-game season.

The San Diego Padres are off to not just an electric start in 2025, but a historic one for this organization. More news: Padres Predicted to Make 6-Player Bloc

They are not going undefeated this season. They won’t get 10 hits every night. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill will not continue to hit .400 for six months. The bullpen will eventually allow a run again.

MLB player prop bets and odds for Jackson Merrill on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, as the San Diego Padres take on the Cleveland Guardians.

San Diego Padres star outfielder Jackson Merrill sees himself reaching new heights in 2025. Per MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, Merrill had this to say about how he sees his game evolving next season (h/t San Diego Padres on SI’s Gabe Smallson):

After having elbow inflammation, the San Diego Padres will be without right-hander Yu Darvish to start the season.