San Diego Padres rookie Jackson Merrill surpassed Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame member Ken Griffey Jr. in elite baseball history on Saturday by hitting another game-winning home run.
Per @StatsCentre on social media:
Most home runs in a season – rookie center fielder, 21 or younger:
30 – Mike Trout (2012)
28 – Julio Rodriguez (2022)
20 – Willie Mays (1951)
19 – Michael Harris II (2022)
17- @Padres Jackson Merrill (2024 via 1 in today’s win against MIA)
16 – Ken Griffey Jr. (1989)
14 – Rick Monday (1967)
Considering Griffey Jr. is one of the best players in baseball history, that’s very impressive for the Padres rookie who only moved to the outfield this season. He helped the team a lot by moving to the outfield this past offseason following the trades of Juan Soto and Trent Grisham. The Padres currently hold a playoff spot in the National League, thanks in part to his outstanding play.
And as for Junior? He has one of the best resumes out there.
Griffey played 22 years in the Major Leagues with the Mariners, Reds and White Sox. He was one of the most popular players of all time, hitting 630 home runs in his career. He was a 13-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glover, 7-time Silver Slugger and a former MVP.
He had a .284 batting average throughout his life, graced the covers of video games and magazines, and starred in films such as Little Big League.
Although he never reached the World Series, he was a dominant playoff player, batting .290 in 18 career games in October. He hit six home runs in those games. The Mariners’ run to the 1995 American League Championship Series is largely credited with saving baseball in the city.
NEW PODCAST IS HERE: The latest episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast is out. Brady Farkas discusses the series loss to the Detroit Tigers, Mitch Haniger’s final batting appearance, and the ongoing discussion about the future of Scott Servais. Patrick Dubuque, head of Baseball Prospectus, also appears on the show. CLICK HERE:
FORMER ALL-STAR SIGNS WITH CONTENDER: Jean Segura, who made an All-Star Game with the Mariners in 2018, has signed with a World Series contender. CLICK HERE:
M’s SHUTOUT STRIKE: The Mariners have beaten the Mets two games in a row to no goals. How rare is that? CLICK HERE:
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