Nevertheless, not every young player would display the maturity Merrill is showing amid one of the worst stretches of his big-league career. The Padres center fielder is showing wisdom well beyond his years — which should help him approach the game from a correct perspective.

The first half of the season concludes Sunday, and the Padres now have fresh evidence for their belief that Jackson Merrill will return to being a significant contributor in the second half. With a game that was reminiscent of how he finished last season and began this one,

Jackson Merrill broke out of a slump with two home runs off All-Star Zack Wheeler, and Manny Machado hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for the San Diego Padres, who won their second straight game against the Philadelphia Phillies,