![\"Luis](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SUT-L-padres-0812-009.jpg\")
Luis Rengifo #21 of the San Diego Padres hits a grand slam against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Petco Park on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)<\/p>\nThe Padres signed Luis Rengifo to a minor league contract in June, shortly after he was released by the Milwaukee Brewers. A native of Naguanagua, Venezuela, Rengifo was signed as an international free agent by the Seattle Mariners in 2014. The Mariners traded Rengifo to the Tampa Bay Rays in August 2017, and Tampa Bay dealt him to the Los Angeles Angels six months later.<\/p>\n
Rengifo made his major league debut with the Angels in 2019, then signed with the Brewers ahead of the 2026 season. He hit .205\/.280\/.254 in Milwaukee before being released.<\/p>\n
Since joining the Padres, however, Rengifo has found new life, delivering in key moments offensively while showcasing his versatility on defense. He hit his first career grand slam Tuesday while playing the Brewers at Petco Park.<\/p>\n
Rengifo, 29, talked about his start in baseball, his time with the Padres \u2014 and his best friend, who might be familiar to San Diego sports fans:<\/p>\n
How\u00a0did you get your start in baseball?\u00a0<\/p>\n
A: My mom. She had that conversation with my dad. My dad is a fan, a baseball guy. He likes the Venezuelan team over there. I started playing baseball when I was 3 1\/2, almost 4 years old. They put me there, and the teachers tell me, \u201cHey, he got skills to play ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where you grew up is a very baseball-oriented place, right?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes. We have ODENOR (Organizaci\u00f3n Deportiva del Norte, a prominent youth baseball organization).\u00a0Guys played over there like Yangervis Solarte, Pablo Sandoval, Luis Torrens. So they have good guys that play in the big leagues.<\/p>\n
When did scouts start coming around?<\/p>\n
A: When I played senior \u2014 senior is between 13, 14 (years old). \u2026 They say, \u201cOK, maybe he (has) a future in this.\u201d I\u2019m a little guy, but I throw hard, I can hit.<\/p>\n
Was it always your dream to be a major league baseball player?<\/p>\n
A: Yes. That\u2019s my goal, because I love baseball. My mom and my dad, they support me a lot about what I want for my future and for my career, for my life. They tell me, \u201cHey, what do you want to do? You want to be (a) doctor? You want to be something else?\u201d And I say, \u201cNo, I want to be a player.\u201d \u2026 I had one guy \u2014 he was maybe 30 minutes from where I\u2019m from and he had an academy over there. He told me, \u201cHey man, you have a lot of chance to be a minor league player.\u201d They show me to the scouts, and I start to do tryouts in 2012 and 2013. That\u2019s when I made the decision to sign with the Mariners.<\/p>\n
When did you become a switch-hitter?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0When I was 15 years old, almost 16. I was still in Venezuela. The (coaches) tell me, \u201cIf you want to sign with teams or you want to sign with one organization, you need to prove you can hit both sides.\u201d Because the guys that are competing with me, they\u2019re always right-handers. So they taught me to hit from the left side. I watched a lot of videos of Ichiro (Suzuki) and all that. I liked it.<\/p>\n
Luis Rengifo #21 of the San Diego Padres hits a grand slam against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Petco Park on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)<\/p>\n
You make it sound easy, but it\u2019s hard, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
A: Yeah. My first year it was really, really hard. I hit .198. Next year was a little bit better. I hit .336, and the next year was better. It just got better every year. It\u2019s a good challenge.<\/p>\n
Your dominant hand is your right one?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes. I\u2019m right-handed.<\/p>\n
In everyday life \u2014 like brushing your teeth or eating \u2014 do you intentionally use your left hand to keep it strong?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes, I eat with both. I write with just my right hand, but everything else I have to do with both sides, using both hands, because I need it for hitting. I need it.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re also very versatile defensively. You\u2019ve played every position at the major league level except for pitcher and catcher\u2026\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0I played catcher one time when I was a little kid. One guy hit a foul ball off my leg. I say, \u201cNo more.\u201d \u2026 But yes. This year I played for the first time at first base, but the rest (of my career), I play third base, shortstop, second base, all over the outfield. So I\u2019m available to be in the field.<\/p>\n
How do you stay prepared to play all those positions?<\/p>\n
A: I talk with the coaches. They teach you and say, \u201cHey, this is the situation you have. This is what you have to learn over there.\u201d The more you practice, the more success you\u2019re going to have.<\/p>\n
Did you realize at some point that being able to play multiple positions would significantly increase your value?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes. The first time I played another position was in 2016. They (asked) me, \u201cHey, can you play third base?\u201d I said, \u201cYes.\u201d Why not? I wanna be in the lineup. For me, it\u2019s more important to be in the lineup, to be part of the team and to help. So they put me there. When I played Low-A, I had a manager, Pat Shine, and David Macias (now the Padres\u2019 first-base coach). \u2026 They (would) tell me, \u201cHey, maybe you play left field tomorrow, center field the next day, right field the next day.\u201d And one day, in one game, they put me at right field, center field, left field, second base, shortstop and third base. In one game.<\/p>\n
Was that challenging?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0I liked it because when I was a little kid, we had a game during practice in Venezuela. You play first base, then you\u2019re moving (to a new position) and you hit, and you\u2019re still moving. You play every position. So it was like that.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s it like to reconnect with Macias again?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Very good. He (taught) me a lot. I learn a lot from Macias. At that time (in 2016), he was like a mental coach. He was always trying to put me in the position to be the best I can, all the time. Like, \u201cHey, you have to do this, you have to do that; think like this, think like that.\u201d I just learn. I want to be the best I can. And all the time when I played on other teams and we faced the Padres, when I see him, we just talk. And I say to him, \u201cYou remember when you yelled at me when I was a little kid?\u201d He says, \u201cYeah, I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
Have your parents been able to see you play in the major leagues?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes. The first time was last year. I remember when I hit two homers in a game last year (June 14, 2025, against the Orioles).\u00a0I hit one from each side in Baltimore. My mom and my dad were there.<\/p>\n
After all that time, what did it mean to have them there?<\/p>\n
A: It\u2019s a dream come true for my mom and my dad because they support me a lot. They tell me about life, about what I want when I play. They (gave) me a good education. I\u2019m so grateful for that.<\/p>\n
I imagine it was difficult for them to leave Venezuela to see you play.<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yeah. A lot of things have happened (in our country). But now, they can come. They can see me play.<\/p>\n
When you first came to the United States, you were just a teenager. What was it like to be in a new country with a new language?<\/p>\n
A: I remember one time in 2016 in extended (spring training), one of my coaches explained me something in English and I didn\u2019t know how to respond back. All my teammates start laughing. That made me mad. I talked with the teacher over there. I said, \u201cHey, I wanna learn English so bad because I want to understand everything.\u201d They give me Rosetta Stone and all that. And every day \u2014 every single day \u2014 I go there, look at it, try to talk, try to be better every single time. I (got) it in maybe, like, two years.<\/p>\n
You were traded twice within a year. The Mariners traded you to the Rays, then the Rays traded you to the Angels. Was that difficult?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0The first one, yes. I cried and I called my mom, because I had never been in another organization.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP25262026711646.jpg\")
The Angels\u2019 Luis Rengifo reacts as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night in Milwaukee. (AP Photo\/Morry Gash)<\/p>\n
Were you surprised to get traded again the following February?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Not surprised. I was like, \u201cWhy did they call me to the office?\u201d Because in that spring training, I didn\u2019t hit well. I hit well in maybe four games only. And I say, \u201cOK, what am I gonna tell my mom?\u201d I thought maybe I was going to be released or something like that. I\u2019m so scared. So when they traded me to the Angels, I say, \u201cOh my God. OK, here we go.\u201d I had a lot of friends with the Angels.<\/p>\n
You spent seven seasons with the Angels. How did that organization shape you, both personally and professionally?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0I liked everything because they give me the opportunity to grow up as a player. They give me the opportunity to be in the big leagues and make my debut. I had a lot of mentors, like Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, (Andrelton) Simmons, (Kole) Calhoun, Justin Upton. A lot of veteran guys that teach about how you have to do the little things, the right things in the game, and I just followed.<\/p>\n
Do you remember anything unique about your debut?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes, (before the game) I go to the shower. I put on a hot, hot shower. And I feel my body shaking. Like, I feel freezing. Because (of) a lot of nerves I had that day. In the game, no. The game, you just do it. But before the game \u2014 oh yeah, for sure. Very nerve-wracking.<\/p>\n
![\"Luis](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SUT-L-padres-0808-035.jpg\")
Luis Rengifo #21 of the San Diego Padres walks back to the dugout during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Petco Park on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t Luis Arraez your best friend?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Yes, we have almost 18, 19 years of friendship.<\/p>\n
How did you get so close?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Because we play in the tournaments in Venezuela. We represent our state all the time. We created a good relationship. And when we started to do tryouts and all that, we would see each other all the time.\u00a0\u2026\u00a0I\u2019m the godfather of his daughters. We have a really good relationship. We talk about the game, about what we think, about everything.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve been very productive since joining the Padres. What do you think has allowed you to hit the ground running?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0I think just to be in the game. To know what the situation is, the opportunity that they have given me, and just be a part of this team, to help. And I like to win. I like to win. All the time when I go out there, I have to fight for myself to be put in one position to be available for my team. Every time I go out there, I have to compete.<\/p>\n
Your game is strong in all areas: defensively, offensively, and on the bases. Which area have you worked hardest to improve?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0All the time in my mind, it\u2019s: be consistent. I have to prepare. If you don\u2019t prepare, you don\u2019t have it. You don\u2019t have any result in the future. You have to be in the process, to be like, \u201cHey, I don\u2019t feel good (in this part of my game). I have to work on that.\u201d If I don\u2019t feel good in left field, I have to work in left field. You have to make your game a little bit easier with your work.<\/p>\n
![\"Milwaukee](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26068858820747.jpg\")
Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Luis Rengifo fields a grounder hit by the Dodgers\u2019 Alex Freeland before throwing to first base for the out during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game Monday, March 9, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin)<\/p>\n
Why do you think things didn\u2019t work out with the Brewers?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0I think it\u2019s part of baseball. Sometimes you start the season hot and you can be consistent every single time, but with the Brewers, I started a little back-and-forth, back-and-forth. I don\u2019t feel really well over there about hitting stuff and all that. But San Diego signed me and they talked to me about how they see something in my swing. They teach me little things and I just follow that and feel comfortable.<\/p>\n
Did you change anything with your swing?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0My swing is kind of the same, but it\u2019s just my rhythm. It helped.<\/p>\n
What do you like to do outside of baseball?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Dancing. I like dancing.<\/p>\n
What kind of dancing?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0Everything. I dance everything.\u00a0Like salsa, merengue, bachata, hip hop, everything. I like dance.\u00a0Everybody in my family dances. When I was a little kid, everybody from my family, we\u2019re dancing for I don\u2019t know how many hours. I just feel it.<\/p>\n
What else is important to your life?<\/p>\n
A:\u00a0It\u2019s family. The most important thing for me is family.\u00a0My family, for me, is the engine.\u00a0\u2026\u00a0I just pray to God about the opportunity they give me every single day here, and I pray for my family every day. And just be grateful and thank God for giving me this.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Padres signed Luis Rengifo to a minor league contract in June, shortly after he was released by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":432900,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[181,1334,74,76,75,2611,127,1696],"class_list":["post-432899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-latest-headlines","tag-mlb","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news","tag-san-diego-padres","tag-sports","tag-top-stories-sdut"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=432899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/432900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=432899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=432899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=432899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}