CINCINNATI -- Padres utility man Luis Rengifo was diagnosed with a full ACL tear in his right knee and will undergo season-ending surgery, the team announced on Monday.
The news is a major blow for the Padres, who had come to rely on Rengifo during his two months with the club. He sustained the injury on Saturday in St. Petersburg and was carted off the field.
Rengifo was initially diagnosed with a knee sprain and was sent to San Diego for further testing, where an MRI exam revealed a full tear of his ACL, along with an MCL sprain. No date has been set for surgery.
Rengifo’s impact
After struggling for the first few months of the season, Rengifo was released by the Brewers in late June -- and was promptly scooped up by the Padres. He was called up in early July and looked like a new player almost instantly.
In 38 games with San Diego, Rengifo batted .291 with a .784 OPS. He delivered some crucial hits, including a key go-ahead homer against the Marlins in late July and a grand slam against Milwaukee, his former club, on Aug. 11.
“He gave us a little bit of the spark that we were looking for,” manager Craig Stammen said. “He’s a player that had done that in the past. You don’t know if that past is still in him or not. He showed that he still had it in him, proved that he was a very valuable part of our team. We’re going to definitely miss him.”
Rengifo is slated to become a free agent after the season. The surgery comes with a recovery timetable of around nine months.
Replacing Rengifo
Rengifo’s role shifted, depending on the day. But the switch-hitting Rengifo hit enough to establish himself as a regular starter -- often in left field or at DH, sometimes in the infield. His absence leaves a hole in the Padres’ lineup.
Complicating matters further is the fact that San Diego also recently placed Gavin Sheets on the IL, while Sheets deals with a nasty bout of plantar fasciitis. Sheets would otherwise have been the Padres’ primary DH against right-handed pitching.
“The DH will be one of those roles that’s a little bit different without Luis out there,” Stammen said. “Left field will be a little bit different. Not having a guy that can move around the infield like he could -- will be a little bit different. But we brought up a couple guys that have helped us a lot during the season, too.”
Indeed, Samad Taylor returned from the IL on Saturday and can slot directly into the left-field role. Sung-Mun Song can fill the role of versatile infielder. The Padres have cover. But not quite at the level of production they were getting from Rengifo.
The biggest concern ...
In the short term, the Padres can feel OK with using the designated hitter spot to cycle their regulars through. Xander Bogaerts served as the DH on Monday. Perhaps Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth could get a game there later in this series.
But the calendar turns to September on Tuesday, and the Padres are in the midst of a tight race for the final National League Wild Card spot. They’re going to need to put their best lineup on the field for most games.
But without Rengifo and Sheets, they’re suddenly a lefty bat short. Maybe two.
That shouldn’t be an issue against left-handed pitching. Taylor and Austin Hays would presumably start against lefties. But they’ll need someone to step up against righties. Maybe it’s Song. Maybe it’s Dustin Harris. Maybe it’s a callup. (Like, say, top prospect Ethan Salas.)
But it’s a safe bet that when rosters expand on Tuesday, the Padres will call up a lefty bat. Then, they’ll hope Sheets’ injury isn’t nearly as serious.