Los Angeles Dodgers Acquire Dominican Outfielder Esteury Ruiz From Athletics In April Deal

The Athletics traded Dominican center fielder Esteury Ruiz to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, April 2, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran, who will report to Triple-A Sacramento.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers placed right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt on the 60-day injured list on April 2.

The Dodgers acquired OF Esteury Ruiz from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Carlos Duran. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred RHP Kyle Hurt to the 60-day injured list.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 2, 2025

The Dodgers are currently the first team to go 8-0 in the year after winning the World Series in Major League Baseball history, having won 6-5 against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night at home.

Ruiz was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 2 as part of the corresponding roster move.

Ruiz opened the 2025 season with Triple-A Las Vegas, appearing in two games with nine plate appearances. He batted .375/.444/.375 with three hits, one RBI, one stolen base, one walk, and two strikeouts before being traded to Los Angeles.

In 2025 spring training, Ruiz played in 17 games with 35 plate appearances and hit .121/.171/.152, collecting four hits, one double, two stolen bases, one walk, and 16 strikeouts.

Ruiz, 26, was born in Azua, Dominican Republic, and has played in parts of three Major League seasons, debuting with the San Diego Padres in 2022 and later appearing for the Milwaukee Brewers that same year.

He spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Athletics before being dealt to the Dodgers on April 2.

The Athletics acquired Ruiz on December 12, 2022, from the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-team trade in which the Atlanta Braves acquired catcher Sean Murphy. The Brewers received catcher William Contreras, right-handed pitcher Joel Payamps, and right-handed pitcher Justin Yeager. The Athletics received catcher Manny Piña, left-handed pitcher Kyle Muller, right-handed pitcher Freddy Tarnok, and right-handed pitcher Royber Salinas.

Last season, Ruiz played in three games to start the 2024 season at home against the Cleveland Guardians and batted .479 in eight plate appearances with three hits, one double, one triple, one RBI, one stolen base, and one strikeout before being sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas.

With the Athletics in 2024, Ruiz appeared in 29 games and batted .200/.270/.382 with 65 plate appearances, collecting 11 hits, two doubles, one triple, two home runs, eight RBI, five stolen bases, four walks, and 20 strikeouts before landing on the 60-day injured list with a strained left wrist on September 4, 2024.

Ruiz also split time in 2024 at the Rookie Complex Level, Low-A Stockton, and Triple-A Las Vegas. In 16 games, he batted .345/.425/.569 with 20 hits, four doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI, eight stolen bases, nine walks, and 16 strikeouts.

During 2024 spring training, Ruiz played in 25 games, hitting .236 with 61 plate appearances, tallying 13 hits, four doubles, one triple, one home run, nine RBI, two stolen bases, five walks, and 19 strikeouts.

In the 2023 season with the Athletics, Ruiz played in 132 games and batted .254 with 490 plate appearances, recording 114 hits, 24 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 47 RBI, 20 walks, 99 strikeouts, and a .654 OPS.

Ruiz led the American League with 67 stolen bases in 2023 and was caught 13 times. He exceeded his rookie limits that season and entered 2024 as pre-arbitration eligible.

Ruiz was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder subluxation on July 7, 2023, and was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 27. He played in five games with 21 plate appearances, batting .400 with eight hits, one double, one triple, one home run, two RBI, three stolen bases, one walk, and five strikeouts before he was activated on August 5.

In 2022, Ruiz began the year with the Padres’ Double-A affiliate in San Antonio and batted .344 over 49 games with 231 plate appearances, collecting 62 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 37 RBI, 37 stolen bases, 32 walks, 40 strikeouts, and a 1.085 OPS before being promoted to Triple-A El Paso on June 7.

With El Paso, he played in 28 games and hit .315 over 142 plate appearances with 35 hits, six doubles, four home runs, nine RBI, 23 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 25 strikeouts before making his MLB debut on July 12, 2022, against the Colorado Rockies.

Ruiz appeared in 14 games with San Diego, batting .222 with 27 plate appearances, six hits, one double, one triple, two RBI, one stolen base, and five strikeouts before being traded to Milwaukee on August 1, 2022, in the deal that sent left-hander Josh Hader to the Padres.

Following the trade, Ruiz was assigned to Triple-A Nashville. In 37 games, he batted .329 over 167 plate appearances, with 48 hits, 10 doubles, three home runs, 19 RBI, 25 stolen bases, 14 walks, and 29 strikeouts before being called up to Milwaukee on September 1.

He played three games for Milwaukee and went hitless in nine plate appearances, walking once and striking out twice, before returning to Nashville on September 8.

Across three Major League seasons with San Diego, Milwaukee, and the Athletics, Ruiz has played in 178 games, logging 591 plate appearances with a .243 average, 131 hits, 27 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 57 RBI, 73 stolen bases, 25 walks, 126 strikeouts, and a .641 OPS.

The (4-1) Oklahoma City Comets will play their final game of their three-game home series against the (2-3) Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, El Paso Chihuahuas on BallySports on Wednesday, April 3 at 8:05 p.m. EDT at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

(AP Photo/Matt York)