Great job by the Padres to lock up emerging superstar Jackson Merrill to a $135 million, nine-year deal. 

Back in 2022 — just before the Padres acquired Juan Soto for C.J. Abrams, Mackenzie Gore, James Wood and two other young players — the Padres were the most aggressive pursuer of Shohei Ohtani, and Merrill’s name at least came up in trade discussion. Though we can’t be sure they would have traded Merrill if the Angels actually dealt Ohtani, it’s hard to see anyone playing at Class-A Lake Elsinore being held out as untouchable in Ohtani talks. 

Considering the Padres’ 7-0 start, cross Dylan Cease off the trade list, however. Tough to see the Padres selling.

Marucci Sports co-founder and CEO Kurt Ainsworth said on “The Show,” our Post baseball podcast, he expects players on all teams to try the torpedo bat, and word is half their orders now are torpedo bats.