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Monday looked like an obvious spot for Ryan O'Hearn’s first start as a Padre against a left-handed pitcher. Jackson Merrill remains hobbled by a balky left ankle, and O’Hearn had registered a clutch RBI double against Dodgers lefty Anthony Banda on Sunday.

The two hottest National League teams over the past two months also happen to have been waiting the longest to win their first World Series. The Brewers (37–10

An injury timeline for San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill is revealed shortly after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Padres entered their weekend series at Dodger Stadium in unfamiliar territory at this juncture of a season -- in first place. They had overturned a nine-game deficit and rode a five-game winning streak into Los Angeles.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres as Padres Fans React to Ryan O’Hearn Being On the Bench Yet Again. The San Diego Padres have once again dropped Ryan O'Hearn from the lineup, leading fans to wonder why the recently acquired hitter is not getting many opportunities.