The Padres are making a change at a time when they can’t afford to lose much more offense. San Diego placed outfielder Samad Taylor on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right oblique strain and brought up veteran infielder Luis Rengifo from Triple-A El Paso ahead of the game.
Taylor’s setback lands just as he was turning into one of the club’s brighter spots. In 26 games, he was hitting .330 with a home run and 11 RBIs, and his OPS+ of 127 put him more than 25% above league average. That production mattered for a Padres lineup that has been searching for answers all season.
Taylor said Wednesday he didn’t believe the issue was serious and described it as something he had tweaked in his oblique, calling himself likely "day-to-day." The injury still forces him out for at least 10 days.
The 27-year-old’s path to this moment has been a long one. Drafted by Cleveland in 2016, he didn’t reach the majors until 2023 with the Kansas City Royals. Before signing a minor league contract with San Diego this past offseason, he had appeared in just 38 big league games.
His value has come from more than just the bat. Taylor’s speed and energy have given the Padres a lift in a season that has needed it, so his absence leaves a noticeable hole in the lineup.
Rengifo now gets the chance to help fill it. The 29-year-old opened his 2026 season with the Milwaukee Brewers, but he hit only .205 across 57 games before being designated for assignment and later released near the end of June. He then signed a minor league deal with San Diego.
At Triple-A El Paso, Rengifo wasted little time making an impression. In six games, he hit .320 with two home runs and an OPS of .930. He also gives the Padres defensive flexibility, with the ability to play virtually anywhere on the field.
Rengifo debuted with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 and stayed in Anaheim through the end of the 2025 campaign, batting .250 during his time there before reaching free agency last season. His brief stint with Milwaukee didn’t go as planned after he signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal, but he did post elite plate discipline, with an 11.5% strikeout rate that ranked in the 96th percentile in baseball.
For a Padres team sitting at the bottom of the league in batting average at .224 and dealing with injuries all over the roster, the hope is that Rengifo can bring some stability and help push the second half in a better direction.
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