HR-happy Renfroe adds to All-Star credentials

DENVER -- Hunter Renfroe, in the midst of an All-Star caliber season, authored the kind of game that thrust him squarely into that conversation.

• VOTE NOW: Google MLB All-Star Ballot

Renfroe demolished three home runs Friday night in the Padres' thrilling, 16-12 victory over the Rockies in 12 innings at Coors Field. All three were mammoth blasts, too, as Renfroe compiled 1,316 total feet worth of dingers, according to Statcast.

The hulking left fielder went deep during the game-tying, six-run rally in the ninth inning, and he did so again during the game-winning, five-run inning in the 12th.

"He's had as many big hits as anybody," said Padres manager Andy Green. "He's won games for us. ... When you factor in the whole package -- the way he's defended the field, the way he's swinging the bat, he's definitely put himself in [the All-Star] conversation."

Renfroe entered play Saturday tied for fourth in the Majors in home runs with 21. He leads the Padres with a .932 OPS and 137 wRC+.

Among National League outfielders, only Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich and Ronald Acuna Jr. have been worth more than Renfroe's 2.2 wins above replacement, according to baseball-reference.com.

If last year solidified Renfroe as a bona fide big league power threat, this is the breakout season that has established him as an all-around force. So what's been the key to Renfroe's emergence?

"It's really just been about learning from the success and learning from the failure," Renfroe said. "I'm finding out how people pitch me. I'm figuring out the things that work and just kind of adapting to Major League Baseball."

Renfroe's power numbers, which were very good before this season, have risen significantly. His defense in left field has been borderline elite. (Get this: Renfroe's nine defensive runs saved are tied with Mookie Betts and Byron Buxton, two of the game's best, for fourth among all outfielders.)

Plus, as Green mentioned, Renfroe has notched some of San Diego's biggest hits this season. When the Padres were reeling from some early May losses to the Dodgers, Renfroe made a statement with a walk-off grand slam to end that series.

On Friday, the Padres were staring down their sixth straight loss when Renfroe mashed his three homers, all of them at crucial moments. A day later, Renfroe was asked which game he preferred.

"The walk-off grand slam was better," Renfroe said. "Because I ended it in nine innings."

Despite Renfroe's brilliant numbers this season, he's only starting roughly three out of every four games in a crowded Padres outfield that also features Wil Myers and Franmil Reyes. He's certainly earned an uptick in playing time. But the team will almost certainly continue giving Renfroe days off.

The Padres feel as though part of Renfroe's success is tied to the fact he has been used in optimal situations with optimal rest. Plus, he’s an ace pinch-hitter with two pinch-hit blasts already this year.

"He's mature enough to thrive anywhere and know it's all about winning a baseball game," Green said. "All he can do is have a good at-bat when he's put in to go do that. He's done a tremendous job."

"I'm comfortable with it," Renfroe said in the unassuming manner that makes him so well-suited for the role. "I don't make the lineups. I'll just go out there wherever they put me and do my best. I'm not going to harp on getting at-bats. I'm just going to do the best I can every day when I'm in there."

Keep it up, and he might find himself in Cleveland for the Midsummer Classic next month.

"It'd be cool, obviously, to play in the All-Star Game," Renfroe said. "But that honestly hasn't crossed my mind yet. I just go out there and play. That really doesn't mean anything when we're here to win championships."

Noteworthy

• Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was out of the lineup Saturday, a planned day of rest for the 20-year-old rookie. Since returning from a left hamstring strain last week, Tatis is hitting .387/.441/.774, but the Padres committed to giving him a day off in the midst of a stretch with nine games in nine days.

"There's nobody who wants to take him out of the lineup right now," Green said. "When he came back, he hadn't played two full games in the Minor Leagues. We had a couple scheduled off-days for him. This is right in the middle of a nine-day stretch, and it's the right day after a 12-inning game."

• The Padres don't have a timetable for the return of outfielder Franchy Cordero, who sustained a left quad injury on Wednesday with Triple-A El Paso. Cordero had been rehabbing a right elbow sprain and had essentially returned to full health when he went down.

"Not close to playing after that [injury]," Green said. "I'm not quite sure how long he's out or what the tests are, but he's down."

• Reyes was out of the lineup for the second straight game as he battles a stiff neck, which he sustained while diving for a fly ball on Thursday. Reyes pinch-hit on Friday, and Green indicated he’d be available to do so on Saturday, as well.

• The Padres optioned right-hander Miguel Diaz to Triple-A El Paso, a day after he surrendered five runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Rockies. They were the first runs Diaz had allowed in five appearances this season. In need of some depth in their bullpen, the Padres promoted righty Phil Maton in Diaz's place.