Padres infielder Luis Rengifo's leg seemingly buckled under him as he threw wildly toward home. Chris O'Meara / Associated PressAug. 29, 2026 7:29 pm EDT Updated Luis Rengifo, a key mid-season acquisition for the San Diego Padres, was carted off the field in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays after suffering a non-contact knee injury.With the Padres leading 6-3, the eight-year veteran fielded a relay throw from center fielder Jackson Merrill on Yandy Díaz’s long single that left the bat at 108.9 mph. As Rengifo ran the ball in, he was caught flat-footed as he decided between throwing to third base to nab Taylor Walls or throwing home to get Cedric Mullins at the plate.He got neither, with his leg seemingly buckling as he threw wildly toward home, the ball caroming off the on-deck circle.
Rengifo remained on the ground before being carted off the field by club personnel. The Padres later announced that Rengifo had suffered a right knee sprain. He was receiving treatment and would fly back to San Diego for further evaluation.The utility infielder entered Saturday’s contest with a .296/.376/.416 slash line in 37 games for the Padres, with four homers and 17 RBIs. A switch-hitter, Rengifo opened the season with the Milwaukee Brewers after signing a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the club, following seven seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.Despite his reputation as a more-than-capable bat and glove, Rengifo largely floundered with Milwaukee, posting a 50 OPS+ in 57 games. That led the Brewers to designate him for assignment and eventually release him on June 23.Days later, San Diego signed Rengifo to a minor-league deal, eventually selecting his contract, and he has remained with the big-league club since.At 72-63 entering Saturday, the Padres are one of several teams competing for a wild-card spot in the NL.This story will be updated.
