Angels looking for Luis Rengifo to escape season-long slump
LOS ANGELES — More than a quarter of the way into the season, the Angels are still waiting for Luis Rengifo.
Rengifo was one of the Angels’ more productive players last season, but he’s been so disappointing so far this season that he’s been relegated to a part-time role recently.
He was not in the starting lineup in three of the previous four games. On Wednesday night, manager Ron Washington declined to even use him as a pinch-hitter in what seemed like a good spot, when the Padres brought in a lefty reliever and Tim Anderson was set to lead off the seventh inning.
Last week Rengifo also frustrated Washington by losing track of the number of outs, resulting in his benching the next day.
“He has the skill set, but it’s not showing,” Washington said on Friday. “If we could pinpoint the reason, he wouldn’t be going through what he’s going through. So the only thing we can do is stay in the process, work and hope he comes out of it.”
Rengifo, who was in the lineup as the DH on Friday, was hitting .209 with a .533 OPS. Last season, he hit .300 with a .763 OPS. Over the past three seasons, he’s hit .273 with a .754 OPS, including back-to-back seasons with at least 16 homers.
His failure to be productive has not only cost the Angels this season, but it’s potentially costing Rengifo millions of dollars. Rengifo, 28, is set to be a free agent at the end of the season.
Rengifo could also be a potential trade chip for the Angels at this summer’s deadline if he were more productive.
The Angels couldn’t trade him last summer because he hurt his wrist just before the trade deadline. Even though he was shut down for eventual wrist surgery just after the deadline, his performance leading up to the deadline made it apparent to other teams that he wasn’t healthy.
Rengifo was hurt this spring, too, missing time with a hamstring injury. Before that, he was sick.
Washington said he believes Rengifo is still behind from that lost time.
“We left out of spring training, and then he wasn’t really ready with his body yet,” Washington said. “And I think that’s been a detriment to him, because his body is not where it really should be. His quick-twitch muscles aren’t twitching. And he needs his quick-twitch muscles. Somewhere along this year, he’s going to find it, because he does have skill set. In this game, you get off good sometimes, and you get off bad sometimes. He got off bad. You’ve got to fight to catch up. We’re just hoping that he can catch up.”
TROUT UPDATE
Mike Trout, who is out rehabbing a bruised left knee, has advanced to hitting indoors off a machine. He’s also been running on 75% of his body weight on the Alter G treadmill.
Trout is continuing to do agility drills and playing catch on the field.
Trout has been out since May 1, and the Angels have not projected when he’ll return to the lineup.
NOTES
Right-hander Sam Bachman (thoracic outlet syndrome) completed his fourth rehab outing with Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday, pitching a scoreless inning. Bachman worked around three walks in the outing. Bachman has not allowed an earned run in four innings, including two with Class-A Inland Empire. He’s struck out four and walked five in four innings. Bachman’s 30-day rehab assignment expires on June 5, but the Angels could option him after that if they deem he’s not ready to help in the majors. …
Right-hander Connor Brogdon received his World Series ring from the Dodgers on Friday afternoon. Brogdon pitched one inning with the Dodgers in 2024. Teams typically give World Series rings to anyone who played even one game that season.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 2-1, 2.58) at Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw, 2-2, 4.50 ERA in 2024), Saturday, 6:10 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network West, 830 AM