A mysterious road sign recently appeared on the 163 freeway, declaring downtown and Petco Park home to "Merrill Mania" and "Jackson Merrill, the real 2024 NL Rookie of the Year." “Yeah, I saw it.

Merrill, an outfielder who helped the Padres reach the postseason, batted .292 with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, six triples and 31 doubles. He was also named a mid-season All-Star.