A’s speedster Esteury Ruiz underwent arthroscopic surgical procedure to repair the patellar tendon in his proper knee this afternoon. The staff introduced that Ruiz “will full post-surgical rehabilitation within the offseason to organize for 2025 Spring Coaching,” suggesting this shouldn’t affect his availability subsequent season.
This was basically a misplaced season for the 25-year-old outfielder. The A’s demoted Ruiz to Triple-A a couple of days into the season. Whereas they recalled him a pair weeks later, he labored largely in a bench function earlier than struggling a left wrist damage that despatched him to the injured checklist. Ruiz by no means made it again, as he battled renewed soreness within the wrist when he tried to ramp up on a rehab stint. The timing of the knee damage is unclear.
Ruiz was restricted to 29 MLB contests — all of which got here earlier than the top of Could. He hit .200 with 20 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances. It definitely wasn’t the step ahead which the A’s had envisioned after Ruiz paced the American League with 67 stolen bases in 2023. That got here with a middling .254/.309/.345 batting line and poor defensive grades in middle area. Ruiz has but to show he’s an particularly efficient all-around participant, even when his pace makes him an elite baserunner.
The A’s constructed their return within the three-team Sean Murphy commerce round Ruiz. Oakland looped within the Brewers as a part of the deal, indicating they valued Ruiz extra extremely on the time than they did catcher William Contreras (who went from Atlanta to Milwaukee). Even with Shea Langeliers within the fold, that was an odd determination, for the reason that A’s might have flipped Contreras elsewhere. It seems even worse in hindsight, as Contreras has developed into one of many sport’s prime catchers.
JJ Bleday has stepped up because the A’s main middle fielder. There ought to nonetheless be time for Ruiz to play his manner again into middle area work whereas pushing Bleday right into a nook reverse Lawrence Butler. He’ll must take steps ahead on either side of the ball to keep away from falling into fourth or fifth outfielder territory.
