| Esteury Ruiz | |
| Team: | Oakland Athletics |
| Number: | 1 |
| Position: | Center fielder |
| Birth Date: | 15 February 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Azua, Dominican Republic |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | July 12 |
| Debutyear: | 2022 |
| Debutteam: | San Diego Padres |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | May 4, 2024 |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat1value: | .249 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 7 |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value: | 56 |
| Stat4label: | Stolen bases |
| Stat4value: | 72 |
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Esteury Ruiz Reyes (born February 15, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball center fielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the San Diego Padres and also played for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2023, he set the American League record for stolen bases in a rookie season with 67.[1]
Ruiz signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent in 2015.[2] He made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Royals and started 2017 with the Arizona League Royals.
On July 24, 2017, the Royals traded Ruiz, Matt Strahm and Travis Wood to the San Diego Padres for Trevor Cahill, Ryan Buchter and Brandon Maurer.[3] [4] He began his Padres career with the Arizona League Padres.[5] He played 2018 with the Fort Wayne TinCaps and 2019 with the Lake Elsinore Storm. He did not play for a team in 2020 due to the Minor League Baseball season being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ruiz returned in 2021 to play for the San Antonio Missions and returned there to start the 2022 season.[6] On July 12, 2022, the Padres selected Ruiz to the major league roster.[7] He made his major league debut that day as the starting center fielder against the Colorado Rockies, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.[8]
On August 1, 2022, the Padres traded Ruiz, Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet and prospect Robert Gasser to the Milwaukee Brewers for Josh Hader.[9] In 2022, he batted .332/.447/.526 in 437 at bats.[10] Ruiz led the minor leagues in stolen bases, with 85,[11] while being caught 14 times, and was third in the minor leagues in times hit by pitch with 27.
On December 12, 2022, the Oakland Athletics acquired Ruiz from the Brewers in a three-team trade in which the Atlanta Braves acquired Sean Murphy, the Brewers acquired William Contreras, Joel Payamps, and Justin Yeager, and the Athletics also acquired Manny Piña, Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok, and Royber Salinas.[12]
On March 25, 2023, manager Mark Kotsay announced that Ruiz had made the Opening Day roster.[13] While playing against the New York Yankees on June 28, Ruiz was the final out, grounding out to Josh Donaldson, in Domingo Germán's perfect game. In a July 5 game against the Detroit Tigers, Ruiz stole his 43rd base of the season in the 12–3 victory. In doing so, he set the A's rookie record for stolen bases in a season, surpassing the previous record of 42 set by Mitchell Page in 1977.[14] On July 7, the A's placed Ruiz on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder injury. He was the MLB stolen base leader at the time of the injury.[15] In 132 games for Oakland, Ruiz hit .254/.309/.345 with 5 home runs, 47 RBI, and 67 stolen bases. His stolen base tally set a new AL rookie stolen base record, surpassing Kenny Lofton's 66 steals from 1992.[16]
Ruiz was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on April 1, 2024.[17] [18] He was recalled on April 15 after J. D. Davis was placed on the injury list.[19]