SAN DIEGO -- The Padres placed outfielder Samad Taylor on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks. It’s the latest injury blow for a roster that has taken its share of hits recently.
Utility man Luis Rengifo had his contract selected from Triple-A El Paso to take Taylor’s place on the roster. The Padres signed Rengifo to a Minor League deal after he was released by the Brewers in mid-June.
In separate injury-related news, X-rays on Manny Machado’s foot came back negative after he fouled a ball off his big toe on Tuesday. Machado was out of the starting lineup Wednesday. But manager Craig Stammen noted that the plan was always to give Machado a day off at some point this week. As such, Wednesday “just made a lot of sense,” Stammen said.
Replacing Taylor
Taylor’s absence leaves a glaring hole in the Padres outfield. He’d essentially emerged as the team’s starting left fielder since he was promoted to take the place of Nick Castellanos in early June.
The obvious solution is for Gavin Sheets to slide to left field a bit more regularly. Sheets has been splitting his time at first base, left field and DH. But Ty France can handle first, with Miguel Andujar as primary DH.
Then again, that limits the Padres’ bench options (and it limits them defensively in left field).
On Wednesday, the light-hitting Jase Bowen started in left. Stammen hinted that it’s possible Bowen could get a more regular look while Taylor is sidelined. Bowen has played only sporadically since he was called up -- and usually as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement.
“Good opportunity for him,” Stammen said. “Now, he hasn’t had the consistent at-bats that he probably wants to be super locked in at the plate. But he’s going to get his opportunity tonight. We’ll see what he’s got.”
Rengifo’s role
Rengifo isn’t going to be a regular starter. But as a bench piece, he’s a useful one. Rengifo is a switch-hitter who can play just about anywhere. In fact, since the start of the 2025 season, he’s played all four infield spots and all three outfield spots.
He struggled with the Brewers early this season, posting a .537 OPS in 57 games. But Rengifo mashed at El Paso, hitting .320 with a pair of homers in six games.
“I just feel my timing [is better],” Rengifo said. “They helped me with some mechanical stuff, and I feel really, really good. Just continue to do that.”
In parts of eight big league seasons -- the first seven of which came with the Angels -- Rengifo is hitting .246/.305/.372 with 62 home runs, including a high-water mark of 17 in 2022.
Taylor’s status
Taylor sustained the injury on the final swing of his fourth-inning at-bat against D-backs righty Zac Gallen on Tuesday night. He felt something in his side -- though he claims it’s relatively minor. Taylor said he’s torn his oblique before and noted this injury was very much not that level of injury.
Nonetheless, the Padres will send Taylor for further testing to discern the grade of his oblique strain. As optimistic as Taylor is, oblique injuries tend to come with a somewhat lengthy recovery process. It stands to reason he’d miss at least a month.
Taylor joins a growing list of Padres on the IL. He only earned the starting left field job after Ramón Laureano underwent hip surgery that will likely end his season. San Diego has an entire rotation’s worth of starters on the IL as well, plus a couple relievers and starting catcher Freddy Fermin.