Padres sign ex-Brewers infielder amid injury bug

The San Diego Padres (42-37) are running with new life after sweeping the Atlanta Braves this week, but they still rank last in OPS, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and runs scored. Unless The Friars revitalize their offense, an exciting October run is improbable. Their latest addition does not appear to address that glaring weakness, though. Veteran infielder Luis Rengifo is joining the organization after agreeing to a minor-league contract, per The Athletic’s Dennis Lin.

The Milwaukee Brewers released the Venezuelan utility man on June 23, enabling the Padres to snag him at the end of the week. He posted a measly .205 batting average, .280 OBP, .254 slugging percentage and .534 OPS in 209 plate appearances for the National League Central leaders. Unfortunately, those numbers fit perfectly in San Diego’s lineup.

Although Rengifo does not stand out as the productive bat this group requires, he has displayed competency at the plate in the recent past. He batted .300 in 78 games for the Los Angeles Angels in 2024, and his .677 career OPS is actually better than the mark the Padres have produced through the first half of the season. This team does not have the luxury of being overly selective.

Aggressive president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is surely cooking up some sort of plan for the Aug. 3 trade deadline, but until something materializes, he will need to be creative. Maybe, just maybe the Luis Rengifo signing can nudge the Padres closer toward their goal. He has to secure a slot on the big-league roster first, however.

Since Jake Cronenworth is still working his way back from a concussion, an opportunity may arise for the newcomer.