Padres total 17 hits in another shutout of Giants
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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Padres shook up their lineup on Saturday. Rookie phenom Jackson Merrill moved into the No. 5 spot, trading places with Jake Cronenworth, who dropped to seventh.
Small margins. But Merrill has been one of the Padres’ best run producers, and they figured it was time to get him higher in their order.
With the postseason looming, every marginal gain is worthwhile. On that front, the Padres gained a game on Arizona on Saturday, building a cushion of 1 1/2 games for the top NL Wild Card spot. They now trail the Dodgers by 3 1/2 games in the NL West race.
Whatever tweaks the Padres must make for the stretch run, the reality is this: Their lineup is so deep, it almost doesn't matter where Merrill bats. The strength of this offense -- the best in franchise history -- is its ability to produce from top to bottom.
"Look, it's a long lineup," said manager Mike Shildt before the Padres’ 8-0 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday night. "We can put [Merrill] pretty much anywhere and feel pretty good about it."
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