"Don't want to eat any more raw fish" - Jackson Merrill swears off sushi following Padres' pitch to Dodgers newest star Roki Sasaki

The San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers share a storied rivalry in baseball. Fans got a taste of their intense rivalry when the NL West teams traded blows in the National League Divison Series in 2024 with the Dodgers edging the Padres 3-2 in the best-of-five series.

The Dodgers won their eighth World Series title in October, rubbing salt on Padres fans' wounds. However, the two teams seemingly faced off again in the offseason, this time in pursuit of coveted international free agent Roki Sasaki.

San Diego was one of the three-finalist in Sasaki's sweepstakes along with the Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. Padres' All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill, who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting behind Paul Skenes last year, was part of the pitch for Roki Sasaki.

While Merrill was excited about being part of the pitch for the Japanese hurler, he wasn't fond of a particular Japanese dish.

"It was cool but after that I don't want to eat any more raw fish," Merrill said.

The Dodgers got one over their rivals again after they beat the competition from the Padres and the Blue Jays to sign Roki Sasaki in January, further strengthening their star-studded roster.

Jackson Merrill unfazed by Padres' quiet offseason

Jackson Merrill had a breakthrough season with the Padres in 2024, establishing himself as one of the most clutch players in the league in his rookie season. He had 6 game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the 8th inning or later, the most among MLB players last season.

Despite leading rookies in hits, batting average, slugging percentage, and RBIs, he managed only seven first-place in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, finishing second to the Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who had 23 first-place votes.

While Merrill has been a terrific acquisition for the Padres, San Diego has been quiet in the offseason, which concerns fans who want the team to contend for the World Series in 2025.

However, the All-Star outfielder isn't too concerned with the lack of activity in the offseason.

"I kind of like it being quiet though...Whatever team we have out there on that field, we're going to be able to dominate and compete with any team."

The Padres avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing a one-year deal with starting pitcher Michael King earlier this week. However, uncertainty surrounds ace Dylan Cease's future as he heads into the final year of his contract in 2025.