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San Diego Padres star Jackson Merrill and Baltimore Orioles star Adley Rutschman are up-and-coming faces in the MLB. On Wednesday, the duo got themselves engaged in a friendly rivalry over a baseball video game.
In the video, both players get fully immersed in the game. Merrill's team scored a 5-0 shutout victory, leaving Rutschman visibly frustrated. The Orioles star said:
"Let's not sugarcoat it, all right? My guys had no heart. I'm going to feed them an ice steak dinner, and then I'm going to run. I'm addicted, and I want to come back. I need seconds."
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Rutschman made his big league debut three years ago in May 2022, as he went on to score All-Star nominations in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, Merrill made his debut in the 2024 season, before going on to put a stellar performance that saw him finish runner-up behind Paul Skenes in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Adley Rutschman and Jackson Merrill become “partner athletes” for eBaseball™: MLB PRO SPIRIT game
If one was wondering which baseball game Jackson Merrill and Adley Rutschman were playing, it was a mobile game named "eBaseball™: MLB PRO SPIRIT."
The video was made for the promotion of the game after Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announced a free update for the 2025 season on Tuesday.
LA Dodgers star and Japanese player Shohei Ohtani is on the cover image of the game. The new update will cover new team rosters, uniforms, and in-game campaigns. The game has also onboarded Merrill and Rutschman as "partner athletes."
“We are pleased to announce this strategic partnership with MLB,” Hideki Hayakawa, Representative Director, President, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd said. “For over 30 years, we have provided entertaining and immersive baseball video game experiences in Japan and are happy to partner with the league to share those experiences with a greater audience.”
In a matter of hours, Jackson Merrill and Adley Rutschman will both be on the plate. Merrill's Padres will face the Atlanta Braves for their Opening Day fixture at Petco Park. Whereas, Rutschman's Orioles will begin their 2025 campaign against the Toronto Blue Jays.
