The San Diego Padres are doing their best to hang around in the National League Wild Card race, but they are going to need some reinforcements if they intend on finding their way into the playoffs this year. While their 42-37 record isn’t bad, this Padres team has some serious flaws, and if they are intent on making a run, more help is going to be needed.
For much of the year, San Diego has found ways to win in spite of its offense, which is one of the worst groups in the league currently. The Padres have been desperate to find any sort of spark with their lineup this year, and that led the front office to sign Luis Rengifo in free agency after he was released by the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this year.
Padres Sign Luis Rengifo to Minor-League Contract
The Padres have been piecing things together with their lineup all year long, as only two of their regular starters (Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ty France) are hitting above .250 at the plate. Considering the teams’ woes at the plate, it’s rather impressive that they have managed to win 42 games this year.
On the surface, it may not seem like Rengifo is the right guy to help this team bounce back in that department, as he hit just .205 with no home runs and 19 RBIs before he was released by the Brewers earlier this year. During the first seven years of his career with the Los Angeles Angels, though, Rengifo was a smooth-hitting infielder who had the versatility to fill in at several different spots.
With Jake Cronenworth on the injured list and Manny Machado laboring through a rough campaign, San Diego decided to take a look at Rengifo to see if he could help them out at the plate. He won’t contribute right away, as he was signed to a minor-league contract in free agency, but he adds another layer of depth that the Padres could look to turn to.
“The Padres and veteran infielder Luis Rengifo have agreed to a minor-league deal, according to sources. Rengifo was released by the Brewers this week after he hit .205/. 280/.254 in 57 games,” Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported in a post on X.
Padres Hoping to Get Something Out of Luis Rengifo
GettyMIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 19: Luis Rengifo #13 of the Milwaukee Brewers tosses the ball to first base against the Miami Marlins in the eighth inning of the game at loanDepot park on April 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Rengifo may not be the player he was during his peak anymore (he hit .264 with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs in 2022 with the Angels), but he still has value as a contact-hitting infielder who can play several different spots. Considering how many holes the Padres have in their lineup, taking a flier on Rengifo certainly couldn’t hurt.
For now, Rengifo will get back up to speed in the minors, but if he shows himself well at Triple-A, it likely won’t be long until he’s back in the majors. In the meantime, San Diego will look to keep up the positive momentum it generated after sweeping the Atlanta Braves, as it will turn its attention to a difficult series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which will get underway on Friday night.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Padres Sign Former Angels Starting Infielder in Free Agency appeared first on HEAVY.