Darin Ruf

Darin Ruf

38-Year-Old DHDH
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2025 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Darin Ruf in 2025. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a one-year contract with the Brewers in May of 2023.
Begins rehab assignment
DHMilwaukee Brewers  
Kneecap
September 12, 2023
Ruf (knee) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Nashville, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Ruf has been sidelined since early June due to a non-displaced fracture in his right kneecap, so he'll probably need several rehab games to get back up to speed. The 37-year-old holds a weak .224/.333/.286 batting line in 57 major-league plate appearances this season between San Francisco and Milwaukee.
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Batting Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+36%
OPS vs LHP
2024
No Stats
2023
 
 
+40%
OPS vs LHP
2022
 
 
+37%
OPS vs LHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022vs Left .740 223 29 9 30 1 .225 .332 .408
Since 2022vs Right .543 222 26 2 18 1 .188 .288 .255
2024vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Left .678 40 2 0 3 0 .242 .375 .303
2023vs Right .485 17 1 0 0 0 .188 .235 .250
2022vs Left .753 183 27 9 27 1 .222 .322 .430
2022vs Right .548 205 25 2 18 1 .188 .293 .256
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Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+30%
OPS at Home
2024
No Stats
2023
 
 
+39%
OPS at Home
2022
 
 
+29%
OPS at Home
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022Home .717 237 33 7 30 2 .239 .325 .392
Since 2022Away .552 208 22 4 18 0 .167 .293 .259
2024Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Home .741 23 1 0 2 0 .300 .391 .350
2023Away .535 34 2 0 1 0 .172 .294 .241
2022Home .715 214 32 7 28 2 .233 .318 .397
2022Away .555 174 20 4 17 0 .166 .293 .262
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Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Darin Ruf See More
Plate Discipline Standouts: Aggressive and Patient Hitters to Target
304 days ago
Corbin Young highlights four players with unusually patient or aggressive approaches at the plate, including Miami's Jake Burger.
NL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
June 4, 2023
Jan Levine latest rundown includes a few players who are set to return from injury.
DraftKings MLB: Tuesday Breakdown
May 30, 2023
Dan Marcus previews Tuesday’s 13-game slate, turning to a White Sox stack against the Angels.
NL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
May 21, 2023
Dan Marcus profiles a couple NLers who could soon be back in the bigs.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Ruf drew the ire of Mets fans with his performance down the stretch (.152/.216/.197). It didn't help that J.D. Davis -- part of the trade to acquire Ruf -- posted an .857 OPS following the move. Of course it's ridiculous to blame Ruf for the Mets losing hold of the division lead, but for some he embodies the collapse. His first couple seasons back from the Korea Baseball Organization were largely successful. He mashed left-handed pitching to the tune of a .283/.414/.593 line in 2021 and the Mets will be betting on a rebound from Ruf in a short-side platoon role. His walk rate plummeted following the trade (from 12.7% to 6.8%) -- a sign he was pressing. It's hard to imagine it can get worse for him than it was in Queens last season, though if he gets off to a slow start, the pressure will mount again quickly.
In just around 300 plate appearances, Ruf had a good 2021 season while on the short side of the Giants' outfield and first-base platoons. Over his career, he's dominated lefties (.940 OPS vs .696 OPS against righties), and that trend continued last season (1.007 OPS vs .824 OPS). It was frustrating to roster him in weekly lineup leagues since he sat half of the time. With PA being king in shallow leagues, he needs to remain on the waiver wire except for those few weeks when the Giants face five lefties. In daily lineup leagues, he was productive because he could be shuffled in and out of the lineup whenever he started. It's tough to value platoon bats because if they see more of the pitcher handedness they struggle against, their batting average will take a hit, but their counting stats will go up. Unless it's an NL-only or a draft-and-hold league, he can probably be left alone as fantasy managers need to be taking shots at full-time bats on draft day.
Following three seasons with the Samsung Lions of the KBO, Ruf returned stateside last year on a minor-league deal with the Giants. He was mashing before spring training was paused and showed enough in summer camp to secure a spot on the expanded Opening Day roster. Of Ruf's 24 starts in 2020, 22 came against left-handed pitching as the outfielder was firmly stuck on the short side of a platoon. The improved patience Ruf displayed in the KBO carried over, and Ruf fared surprisingly well in his limited exposure to righty pitching, but it was 35 PA without the platoon edge -- not enough of a sample to draw any meaningful conclusions. At age 34 (35 this summer), Ruf is unlikely to break out, but those ahead of him on the Giants' roster are old too and Ruf could be an injury or two away from more regular playing time.
Ruf opened last season in a platoon with Ryan Howard at first base. He failed to capitalize on Howard's early-season struggles by also getting off to a slow start at the dish. By mid-May he was headed back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and any chance of a return to the majors was thrown out the window by the emergence of Tommy Joseph at first base. Ruf did produce while back in Triple-A, hitting 20 home runs and crushing lefties to the tune of a .331 average and 1.013 OPS. He likely deserves another shot as a platoon option at first base, and he may get that chance with the Dodgers, who acquired him from the Phillies this offseason and could deploy him to rest Adrian Gonzalez against tough southpaws. He could also work his way into the short side of a left field platoon if Andrew Toles does not pick up where he left off in 2016.
Ruf saw limited action for the Phillies early last season, but benefited from increased playing time once the team benched Ryan Howard against lefties. Ruf was deserving of a shot as Howard's platoon partner after hitting .295 with three home runs and a .916 OPS against lefties in 2014. He was even more potent against lefties last season with a .371 average, eight home runs and a 1.107 OPS in 97 at-bats. The problem for Ruf is his struggles against righties when given opportunities. The Phillies will likely open the year with Howard and Ruf in a platoon again. If they can find a taker for Howard at some point, the team could give Ruf a shot as a regular at first. That makes him an interesting sleeper in leagues that go deep into the player pool.
Ruf was able to log some at-bats in the majors last season despite missing time with an oblique injury and a small fracture in his wrist. Manager Ryne Sandberg had planned to give Ruf a look at first base in place of the struggling Ryan Howard around midseason before Phillies management stepped in and forced him to reverse course. Instead, Ruf was used to occasionally platoon at first and in left. He was productive against lefties with three home runs and a .916 OPS in 61 at-bats, and should enter this season with a chance to fill a similar platoon role. Ruf did have some success against righties in 2013, and perhaps deserves a shot beyond a platoon role, but his defensive limitations and the current construction of the Phillies' roster will likely preclude him from receiving that shot.
Ruf joined the Phillies in July after Ryan Howard was lost for the season with a knee injury. He saw time at first base and in left field before the Phils turned right field over to him following the release of Delmon Young. Ruf hit 14 home runs in his 251 at-bats, displaying the power production that put him on the prospect radar in 2012, when he hit 38 home runs at Double-A. His .247 average last season was OK, but that was inflated a bit thanks to a slightly high BABIP. His low contact rate and lofty strikeout rate mean that his batting average will likely be a liability. Ruf enters the 2014 season as a reserve after the Phillies signed Marlon Byrd to be their everyday right fielder. It is not ideal for Ruf's value entering the season, but he could see plenty of playing time if Howard or Byrd miss time in 2014. Even if both stay healthy, Ruf should be able to accumulate around 300 at-bats by making occasional starts in the corner-outfield spots, first base, and as a DH during interleague play.
Ruf earned the nickname "Babe" last season after crushing 38 home runs for Double-A Reading as a 26-year-old. He received a cup of coffee in September and hit three home runs in 33 at-bats with the Phillies. Ruf then went on to play in the Venezuelan Winter League where he continued to hit bombs at an impressive rate. The Phillies are working to convert Ruf to left field as he is blocked at first base by Ryan Howard. Reviews of his defense have been mixed thus far, but the Phillies have seen enough promise to continue with the conversion. Ruf has always been old for his level in the minors since being drafted out of Creighton in 2009. That raises some red flags about his ability to keep hitting in the majors. The Phillies are expected to give Ruf a chance to earn a roster spot this spring. He'll be an interesting sleeper if he wins a job.
More Fantasy News
Recovering from broken kneecap
DHMilwaukee Brewers  
Kneecap
June 5, 2023
Ruf, whom the Brewers transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier Monday, has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his patella in addition to a deep laceration in his right knee, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
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Moved to 60-day IL
DHMilwaukee Brewers  
Knee
June 5, 2023
The Brewers transferred Ruf (knee) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
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Lands on injured list
DHMilwaukee Brewers  
Knee
June 3, 2023
The Brewers placed Ruf on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right knee laceration.
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Battling knee laceration
DHMilwaukee Brewers  
Knee
June 2, 2023
Ruf was pulled from the Brewers' game against Cincinnati on Friday due to a right knee laceration, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
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Pulled from game early
DHMilwaukee Brewers  
Leg
June 2, 2023
Ruf was pulled from Friday's game against the Reds with an apparent injury, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Edge on competition?
DHNew York Mets  
March 26, 2023
Ruf could have an "inside track" to the Mets' final roster spot, speculates Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
ANALYSIS
Ruf was viewed as a potential trade candidate due to his $3.25 million salary, but now his salary acts as collateral for the Mets and could incentivize New York to keep him around. The 36-year-old slashed just .204/.307/.338 last season.
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