SAN DIEGO -- The Padres turned in one of their most complete performances of the season, demolishing the first-place Brewers, 11-2, on Tuesday night.
Here’s some instant reaction from Petco Park:
This Padres’ offense is suddenly incredibly scary
This is what they always envisioned. When the Padres scuffled through the first couple months of their season offensively, they insisted their bats would come to life. There was simply too much talent for this team -- especially this collection of star hitters -- not to hit.
They were right. The Padres’ stars are hitting. Their role players are hitting. Their recent acquisitions are hitting.
Everyone is hitting.
Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Rengifo and Luis Campusano all went deep on Tuesday night. Manny Machado had three hits. Jackson Merrill had two. So did newly acquired left fielder Austin Hays.
The San Diego offense suddenly feels like an utterly complete unit. It’s a lineup with length and a bench with options. And a chore for any opposing pitcher to navigate.
Rengifo revenge game
The Brewers do almost everything right. They’ve earned the benefit of the doubt. They finished with the best record in the Majors last season, and they’ve got the best record in the Majors again this season.
But … they may have whiffed on Rengifo.
Two months ago, Milwaukee designated Rengifo for assignment. He was released the following week. The Padres were more than happy to scoop him up, and Rengifo started mashing the moment he arrived.
In 24 games with San Diego, Rengifo is now hitting .316 with an .869 OPS. His biggest swing yet came Tuesday night.
Rengifo launched an opposite-field grand slam against his former club, giving the Padres a 5-0 lead in the second inning. San Diego cruised from there.
Beating the best
A popular critique of the Padres’ direction at the Trade Deadline was that, yes, they’d gotten red hot and established themselves as contenders in late July. But who had they actually beaten?
Well, this homestand has done plenty to silence that criticism.
The Padres won a series against the equally red-hot Astros over the weekend. They’ve now also taken a series against the first-place Brewers, who own the Majors’ best record. (And they’ve done so emphatically.)
This Padres surge feels like the real thing.