Los Angeles Angels manager is getting his first up-close look at utilityman Luis Rengifo, a player who has become essential to the Halos over the last couple seasons as he has broken out, in stretches, the best baseball of his career. Right now, the problem is that it has only been over stretches.
Starting in 2022, Rengifo has either looked like one of the most intriguing utility players in all of Major League Baseball, or he has been borderline unplayable. From May 8 to June 21, 2022, Rengifo batted .205 with a .579 OPS over 132 plate appearances. From June 22, 2022 to the end of that season — 379 plate appearances — he batted .283 with a .772 OPS and 15 home runs.
The story was similar in 2023. From March 30, 2023 to June 30, he took 226 PAs and batted .202 with a .590 OPS and 42 strikeouts compared to 40 hits. From July 1 to when his season ended on Sep. 7 due to injury, he batted an incredible .327 with a .980 OPS. He had 12 home runs and 64 hits in 219 plate appearances compared with only 40 strikeouts.
All of this has left the Angels with a clear mission: to get consistency out of Rengfio. Washington made that very clear when discussing Rengifo’s path moving forward, according to Jeff Fletcher of The O.C. Register:
“We’re trying to eliminate those highs and lows,” Manager Ron Washington said. “We just want highs. A low happens for three, four, five at-bats, and then you’re high again. That’s what you call consistency. He just has to learn that consistency and when he finds his swing, he needs to hold on to it for a long time. Sometimes young kids when they find something they take it for granted. But hopefully we can get them to understand in the game of baseball, you can’t take anything for granted.”
Rengifo is aware of this issue as well and is working on his focus from plate appearance to plate appearance to curb the issue.
“The most important thing is to keep battling every single time when I’m in the box,” Rengifo said. “It’s more about being in the game all the time. Know the situation. Know the plan when you hit.”
If the Angels can get a consistent version of Rengifo, he can absolutely be an every day utility player as he switches between second base, third base and shortstop. His play is the type of thing that can raise the ceiling for the Angels in a season that demands everyone’s best.
Angels-Red Sox probables
The Angels are preparing for their home opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night. Here are the probables for both sides as the Halos take the field in Anaheim for the first time in 2024.
Friday, April 5 – Griffin Canning vs. Kutter Crawford
Saturday, April 6 – Reid Detmers vs. Garrett Whitlock
Sunday, April 7 – Chase Silseth vs. Tanner Houck