While confident in the 22-year-old center fielder's long-term prognosis, Shildt revealed some short-term concerns; the 10-day injured list remains possible.

The San Diego Padres took the series over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, winning three of four games despite playing the entire set without star centerfielder Jackson Merrill. The 22-year-old exited Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers early with a bone bruise in his left ankle, after initially tweaking it a couple of games prior.

Center fielder Jackson Merrill sat on Wednesday for a third straight day, and the time is nearing for the Padres to make a decision about whether it is best to shut him down for a longer period of time to rest his injured left ankle.

The San Diego Padres are in the middle of a key race for the National League West against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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

Merrill (ankle) is not in the Padres' starting lineup against the Dodgers on Friday. Merrill will ride the bench for a fifth consecutive game while working through a left ankle contusion that he suffered this past Sunday against the Dodgers.

This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

LOS ANGELES — Jackson Merrill walked gingerly through the clubhouse Sunday afternoon, clearly favoring the left ankle that he rolled on Friday night. He wrapped it and played on it Saturday and got through two at-bats Sunday — both strikeouts — before the coaching staff pulled the plug on their 22-year-old center fielder.