Padres drop second game to Rays, lose Luis Rengifo with knee injury

In a crucial matchup at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on August 29, 2026, the San Diego Padres fell short of a postseason push, losing to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-6. The Padres had a strong start, holding a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning, thanks to a three-run performance by Walker Buehler. However, the Rays mounted a dramatic comeback, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Injury concerns overshadowed the Padres' efforts, as their star player, Luis Rengifo, suffered a knee sprain early in the bottom of the seventh. Rengifo's dramatic exit from the game left his teammates with a challenging task to secure a win. Bradgley Rodriguez took the mound for the Padres, but he struggled as he walked two batters and allowed back-to-back singles, loading the bases.

Yandy Diaz then smashed a ball over the head of Jackson Merrill in center field, which ricocheted back to the infield, allowing Rengifo to throw out the tying runner at the plate – a knee injury that proved costly for the Padres.