Fernando Tatis Jr. drops 1-word reaction to Jackson Merrill's $135,000,000 contract extension with Padres

Modified Apr 03, 2025 01:49 GMT

Cleveland Guardians v San Diego Padres - Source: Getty — Fernando Tatis Jr. shares 1-word reaction to Jackson Merrill’s contract extension (Source: Getty)

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. reacted to teammate Jackson Merrill signing a long-term contract extension with the team. Merrill made his major league debut with the Padres last year, delivering a stellar campaign and finishing as the runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year.

Tatis Jr. debuted with the team in 2019. After a strong 2020 season, he signed a 14-year, $340 million contract extension with the Padres. Center fielder Jackson Merrill has also committed to the team for the long haul.

On Wednesday, Merrill inked a nine-year, $135 million extension. Overjoyed by the signing, Tatis Jr. shared his reaction by reposting the announcement on his Instagram, captioning:

“@_jacksonmerrill_ yessirrrrrre!!! 🔥🔥🔥❤️‍🔥”

Tatis Jr. and Merrill could play in the outfield for the next 10 years. Both are off to a solid start this 2025 season. In the San Diego Padres’ recent 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, Tatis Jr. went 2-for-4, scoring one run, while Merrill also went 2-for-4, scoring one run and driving in two RBIs.

Discussing the extension on Wednesday, Jackson Merrill said:

“I couldn’t be more grateful. I’m just looking forward to keeping it going for the next nine years. This is exactly where I want to be.”

Jackson Merrill opens up about “growing older” with Fernando Tatis Jr.

In a postgame interview following Wednesday’s game, Jackson Merrill was asked about growing older alongside Fernando Tatis Jr., to which he replied:

“It would be kind of funny. It would be funny looking at him in right field every day and knowing it’s going to be like that for a really long time. Tie’s been just like me. He keeps playing the game. Doesn’t take things too seriously, doesn’t take them too lightly, though.”

Expand Tweet

“He’s locked in every day. And he loves success. He wants to do good. I’m right there with him. The entire team wants to do good.”

The San Diego Padres remain undefeated in the 2025 season, improving to 7-0. They are set to face the Chicago Cubs on Friday at Wrigley Field.

About the author

Chirag Dhariya is a baseball reporter at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience in content writing and SEO. While it may not seem directly related to his current profession, Chirag believes his graduation in Commerce instilled in him the research and analytical skills essential for this job.

A New York Mets fan, Chirag was introduced to baseball and its popularity in Japan, thanks to anime. He considers Sonny Gray securing his 100th career win in the same place where he got his first win - the Oakland Coliseum, as one of his favorite moments from recent MLB history.

Chirag's writing process involves meticulous research and multiple proofreads to ensure his articles provide the readers with accurate facts packaged in a simple yet engaging manner.

He is also a Google Analytics enthusiast and a huge anime fan who likes to keep himself updated with the current trends in the genre.

Know More

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash