Dodgers Snag Swift Sensation in A's Trade
The Athletics announced that they have traded outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Dodgers for a right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran , mlb.com reports .
The outfielder was designated for assignment by the Athletics a few days ago. The Dodgers will option him to Triple-A. Right-hander Kyle Hurt has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot, per Fabian Ardaya from The Athletic . An injury necessitated Tommy John surgery for him in July and he will not be available as an option until later in the season.
At 26 years old, Ruiz has often been recognized for his swift legs, though doubts have surrounded his batting skills. In 2023, he made an impressive debut with the Athletics in Major League Baseball, leading the American League in stolen bases with 67. However, at the plate, he posted a slash line of .254/.309/.345 resulting in a wRC+ of 85. His defensive performance garnered varied assessments; although he earned two Outs Above Average, he also recorded -20 Defensive Runs Saved due to some inconsistencies with his glove work.
The stolen bases were not sufficient to earn his place with the A’s. Early in 2024, they sent him down to the minor leagues. Although he was called back up later, he soon faced setbacks including a strained left wrist that sidelined him on the injured list for several months. Additionally, he had arthroscopic knee surgery in September. This spring, he joined the A’s training camp but was reassigned to the minors in mid-March and removed from the 40-man roster after they acquired a left-handed pitcher. Angel Perdomo off waivers.
In recent times, the performance of the lower-tier teams has improved. Since early 2022, Ruiz has maintained an impressive record of .337/.444/.535 during his time in the minors. This success largely stems from his standout year in 2022. In 2023, he moved up to the major leagues, but faced challenges in 2024 as injuries impacted him significantly. Before those seasons, however, his productivity at the minor-league level had been relatively average. From 2017 through 2021, playing at different minor-league tiers, he recorded a slash line of .247/.318/.391 with a wRC+ of 97.
Overall, it's been a mix of highs and lows. His impressive performance in 2022 garnered significant attention. That same year, the Padres traded him to the Brewers as part of the infamous Josh Hader agreed. Milwaukee subsequently traded Ruiz to the A’s as part of the three-team Sean Murphy The Athletics definitely placed a significant wager on Ruiz during that period but seemingly lost faith in him following his average offensive showing in 2023 and subsequently injury-plagued season in 2024.
The Dodgers essentially had an empty slot on their 40-man roster because of Hurt’s operation. It wouldn’t hurt to bring in Ruiz to assess his condition following last season’s injuries. While his batting skills might not improve significantly, he may still serve well as a base-stealing substitute. However, should his hitting show signs of progress, it would certainly add extra value.
Duran, who is 23 years old, has been serving as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues with reasonable statistics despite some health issues. Even though he has mainly functioned as a starter in the minor league, he has never exceeded 81 innings in a single season.
Last March, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the Dodgers' system, pointing out that he missed all of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery and has had previous issues with his shoulder. Last year, he made a comeback on the pitcher's mound, slowly building up his stamina until he threw a total of 53 1/3 innings over 19 starts. His performance included an ERA of 3.71, a strikeout rate of 29.4%, and a walk rate of 12.9%. During this time, he progressed to Triple-A level play and now provides the Athletics with additional pitching depth outside their main roster at higher levels.
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