Shildt also noted that Merrill is expected to head to Arizona to get some live hitting in before simply rejoining the Padres’ active roster. It sounds like he’s still at least a week or so away from a potential return.

The important variable here is that Merrill has yet to resume running, which will signal that he’s close to making it back from a hamstring strain that sent him to the shelf last week with a right hamstring strain. The 21-year-old outfielder figures to make it back before the end of April, but the Padres aren’t going to rush him back and risk a potential setback.

Clearly, the Padres don’t want to take any chances with Merrill’s long-term health, especially at this early stage of the season. The 21-year-old emerging franchise cornerstone will get some extra time off to put the lingering issue to bed and prevent it from becoming a more serious problem. There’s a strong possibility he’s back by mid-April. It’s a tough break for fantasy managers since Merrill was off to a torrid start at the dish, hitting .378 (14-for-37) with three homers, 10 RBI and one steal through 10 games.

This escalated quickly. Acee adds that the Padres are choosing to be extremely cautious and give Merrill some extra time off to rest and recovering from a lingering hamstring issue that’s kept him out of the lineup since last weekend. The 21-year-old franchise cornerstone isn’t facing an extended absence, but it’s a significant short-term loss for fantasy managers. He was off to a phenomenal start this season, hitting .378 (14-for-37) with three homers, 10 RBI and one steal through 10 games.