Jackson Merrill Injury: Trending toward Monday return

Merrill (hamstring) appears on track to return from the 10-day injured list Monday in the Padres' series opener versus the Yankees in New York, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Merrill hasn't played since April 6 while recovering from a right hamstring strain, but he recently resumed taking live at-bats at the Padres' spring facility in Arizona and has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A San Antonio on Saturday, per MLB.com. It's unclear if Merrill is scheduled to play for San Antonio both Saturday and Sunday or just Saturday, but assuming he makes it through the weekend without any setbacks, he'll join up with the Padres as their three-city road trip moves to New York. Merrill will supplant Tyler Wade as the Friars' primary center fielder once he's officially activated.