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Padres notes: Jackson Merrill wraps up second spring with a bang; Yu Darvish in San Diego; CBT watch

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Padres notes: Jackson Merrill wraps up second spring with a bang; Yu Darvish in San Diego; CBT watch


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jackson Merrill is ready for his encore season.

“I’ve been ready since we stepped into the building for spring training,” Merrill said. “Maybe not like baseball-wise, but mind-wise, I’ve been ready to go. It wasn’t slow in spring training. Just had a few games where I didn’t feel too right. But then now it just feels like things are back.”

Aside from the one plate appearance the regulars will get in Monday’s Cactus League finale, Merrill on Sunday capped his second spring training as a major leaguer with his fourth home run in a 5-5 tie with the Diamondbacks.

He spoke afterward of this year being a different kind of learning process — one in which he had to get used to the routine of not playing routinely. He is the junkiest of baseball junkies, usually arriving at the ballpark before any other teammate and staying in the dugout until the end of almost every spring training game. So being an established big-leaguer this year and rarely traveling to away games in the spring was a foreign way to ramp up.

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Last spring, he played almost every day as the Padres got him ready to make his big-league debut at what was then his new position in center field.

“Last year was a completely different vibe,” he said. “But I’m kind of a little bit — not upset with myself, but I think I could have treated it the same as last year and maybe got a little more progress out of it. But to be honest, I feel like I’m just in a spot now where I’m getting better day by day. So it’s kind of nice to chill and build it up, because now I’m ready for 162 better than I’ve ever been.”

Merrill was an All-Star last season, won the Silver Slugger for National League center fielders and finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and ninth in NL MVP voting.

He came into this spring knowing he would be batting third this season as opposed to the back half of the lineup. He aimed to be more selective at the plate and then did not walk once in 45 plate appearances.

“That was kind of annoying, but I was getting pitches to hit,” said Merrill, who batted .244 (11-for-45) and put 11 of his 34 balls in play at 101 mph or harder in Cactus League play. “I think I had long ABs, good ABs — some bad ones, but a lot of good ABs and a lot of good contact. I think a lot more power, a lot more barrel. When I hit it, it sounds a little different than it did last year.”

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Darvish update

Yu Darvish returned to San Diego and is expected to resume playing catch in the coming days.

The 38-year-old right-hander began experiencing elbow discomfort more than a week ago. His March 16 bullpen session was canceled, and he has not played catch since a brief turn throwing softly on Tuesday.

Darvish has been examined by Dr. Keith Meister, a renowned orthopedic surgeon. The Padres believe there is no ligament damage that would require surgery and that rest will be enough to get him back on the mound in relatively short order.

When Darvish returns, however, will be dependent on how he feels. And a team source reiterated Sunday the team’s plan has been to try to preserve Darvish for later in the season, so there will not be a rush for him to get back on the mound.

CBT watch

Once Yuli Gurriel ($1.25 million), Jose Iglesias ($3 million) and Martín Maldonado ($1 million) officially join Gavin Sheets ($1.6 million) on the 40-man roster, the Padres will be projected to be over the second Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $261 million.

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They would be taxed at a rate of 20% on the first $20 million by which they exceed the $241 million base CBT threshold and 32% for every dollar they are over the second threshold.

Teams are not assessed that tax until their CBT payroll is figured out at the end of the season, so the final number could change via any number of transactions.

For a deeper dive into the team, sign up for Kevin Acee’s free “Padres Daily” newsletter delivered to your inbox the morning after virtually every game during the season. Subscribe here.

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San Diego, CA

Man fatally struck by hit-and-run vehicle in San Diego

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Man fatally struck by hit-and-run vehicle in San Diego


A man in the Mission Bay Park community of San Diego was fatally struck Sunday morning by a hit-and run vehicle, authorities said.

The victim was also struck by a second vehicle and that motorist stayed at the scene to cooperate with officers, the San Diego Police Department reported.

The initial crash occurred at about 2:20 a.m. Sunday in the area of West Mission Bay and Sea World drives.

The pedestrian was in the southbound lanes of the 2000 block of West Mission Bay Drive when he was struck by a silver vehicle also in the southbound lanes. That vehicle fled the scene, continuing southbound, police said.

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A 28-year-old man driving his vehicle southbound ran over the downed pedestrian.

“That driver remained at the scene and is not DUI,” according to a police statement. “The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Anyone with information regarding the initial crash was urged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.



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Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records

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Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records


San Diego County is known for having wet, cold weather in February. But it had numerous hot spells this year. And when the month ended on Saturday a high pressure system produced heat that broke or tied temperature records in nine communities from the desert to the sea, the National Weather Service said.

The most notable temperature occurred in Borrego Springs, which reached 99, five degrees higher than the previous record for Feb. 28, set in 1986. The 99 reading is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Borrego in February.

Escondido reached 95, tying a record set in 1901.

El Cajon reached 92, three degrees higher than the record set in 2009.

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Ramona topped out at 88, five degrees higher than the record set in 2009.

Alpine hit 88, four degrees higher the record set in 1986.

Campo reached 87, four degrees higher than the record set in 1999.

Vista hit 86, four degrees higher than the record set in 2020.

Chula Vista reached 84, one degree higher than the record set in 2020.

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Lake Cuyamaca rose to 76, four degrees higher than the record set in 1986.

Forecasters say the weather is not likely to broadly produce new highs on Sunday. Cooler air is moving to the coast, and on Monday, San Diego’s high will only reach 67, a degree above normal.

 



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Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

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Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title


OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.

“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.

So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.

With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.

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The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.

Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”

One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.

“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”

Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run.  Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.

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Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.

“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.

As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.

Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”

Francis Parker High’s Jordan Brown shoots against Westview High during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.

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The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.

“She’s a great player,” said Brown.

“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”

Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.

“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”

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Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.

Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.

About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”

Francis Parker High's Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Francis Parker High’s Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.

Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.

“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.

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Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.

“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”



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