San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill is out of the Padres lineup against the Giants on Monday after suffering an apparent left ankle injury in Sunday's series finale against the Dodgers.

The Padres played just eight games against National League West opponents over the season’s first two months. They did not face the Dodgers until June 8, the furthest into a season the two team met for the first time in 25 years.

The Padres will try to pick up the pieces on Monday night when they start a seven-game homestand with the first of four games against the San Francisco Giants. San Diego might have to play the opener without ailing center fielder Jackson Merrill.

Nick Pivetta allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and Ramón Laureano had three of the Padres’ 14 hits as San Diego completed a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants with an 11-1 rout.

Preview the Aug. 18 matchup between the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants with odds over/under, game spread, betting lines and more.

Dominic Smith hit a three-run single and Drew Gilbert and Tyler Fitzgerald added solo homers as the San Francisco Giants beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1.

The Giants came into the week with a prime opportunity to try to claw back into the National League Wild Card race and gain some ground on one of the teams they were trying to chase down in the standings.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos was the subject of ridicule on Wednesday afternoon as he made a bizarre throw in the outfield.