Darin Ruf is going from facing college-level pitching on nondescript Arizona diamonds to digging in against Clayton Kershaw.
Ruf, who signed a minor league deal with the Giants after flaming out with the New York Mets, has been selected to the big-league roster ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Dodgers. The organization that gave him a chance after he spent three years of his athletic prime in Korea now, once again, signs his paychecks.
“It’s pretty awesome to see all the familiar faces,” Ruf, 36, said Wednesday from the Giants’ clubhouse. “The hugs I got to give today were a lot better than the hugs I had to give back in August.”
San Francisco selected Ruf to the major league roster four games after they signed. To make room for him on the roster, the Giants optioned pitcher Sean Hjelle to Triple-A.
The Giants anticipated Ruf being a major part of their offense in 2022. They planned on giving him regular at-bats against both righties and lefties while tasking him with playing more outfield.
They had reason to believe he could succeed. In 2020 and 2021 combined, Ruf registered a .900 OPS with the Giants, hitting 21 home runs in 157 games. He was particularly potent against left-handed pitching, posting a .969 OPS with the matchup advantage in that stretch.
That number sandwiched him between Salvador Perez and Randy Arozarena among right-handed bats against southpaws.
But Ruf slumped to start 2022 and the Giants flipped him at the deadline to the Mets for J.D. Davis, Thomas Szapucki and two pitching prospects (Nick Zwack and Carson Seymour). The deal was already a complete swindle for San Francisco even before the Giants re-signed Ruf.
Then with the Mets — and in front of their rabid fan base amid a postseason run — Ruf struggled even more. He went 4-for-48 with 16 strikeouts in 22 games with New York. Fans in New York quickly jumped on him.
“I think every fan base has a similar passion for the game,” Ruf said. “Want to see a win at the end of the game every single night. Want their guys to do well, play well. I reflect on my time there, I wish I could’ve played better. But baseball is hard and you go through ups and downs.”
While Ruf was failing in the batter’s box, he was still dealing with the death of his father and grappling with a cross-country move with his family. He’d made roots in the Bay Area and had signed a two-year, $6.25 million deal that ended up not guaranteeing security.
Ruf injured his wrist during spring training and hit just .167 in 11 spring games. He didn’t make the team and got designated for assignment.
“Moving is not nothing for Major League players,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “Players playing in a new city away from their family is not nothing. That can take its toll. You’re not mentally strong all the time. I think Darin was compromised a little bit in New York for a number of different reasons. Glad that he’s back and stronger than he was at that time.”
Once he cleared waivers and got officially released, the Giants gave Ruf a call. Kapler stayed in touch with him, the veteran said. The Giants always loved Ruf as a person and valued him as a player, and a reunion felt right. Ruf said he loves how the organization has built an inclusive environment. They also believe Ruf’s 74 plate appearance stint with New York is too small a sample to overreact.
The Giants are currently down two right-handed outfielders in Austin Slater and Mitch Haniger; neither are expected to return on the upcoming road trip. They’re facing Kershaw on Wednesday, could face three lefties in Detroit and one or two more in Miami.
That means a lot of potential at-bats for Ruf.
“We don’t have Austin Slater right now,” Kapler said. “It’s nice to have a bat in our lineup against a tough lefty that is prepared for the moment, has done it before. No guarantee of success, but encouraging that he’s physically ready and mentally ready for the challenge.”
As a team, Giants righties have hit .214 with a .552 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season. Almost all the offense’s damage has come against righties. There aren’t any Giants at Triple-A who are mashing left-handed pitching so far this season that are on the 40-man (Heliot Ramos is already up with the Giants for the same purpose as Ruf). That made selecting Ruf an obvious choice.
Ruf had about 10 at-bats in extended spring training after rejoining the Giants. He said he received a cortisone shot in his wrist during spring and has dealt with some issues with it over the past couple years, but it feels better now.
Against Kershaw, Ruf is 2-for-19 in his career. But it seems like he’ll have more opportunities than just Wednesday against the future Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play professionally since 2009,” Ruf said. “Certainly not every week or month or year has gone the way I’ve wanted it to. But I’m still fortunate and blessed to be playing. That’s what I’ll take moving forward, is just approach each day and try to get better.”
