There was a trade made in Major League Baseball on Wednesday. The two teams involved in the transaction are both based in California. It contained the Athletics, which are playing this season in the California capital city of Sacramento, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Athletics traded outfielder Esteury Ruiz of Azua, Dominican Republic to the Dodgers for right handed prospect pitcher Carlos Duran of Nagua, Dominican Republic according to Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors.
Fourth MLB Team
Ruiz previously played for the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers during the 2022 MLB season. He then played the last two seasons with the Oakland Athletics in 2023 and 2024.
American League Stolen Bases Leader in 2023
While in Oakland in 2023, Ruiz showed off his speed. He led the American League with 67 stolen bases. Ruiz became the first Athletics player to lead the American League in stolen bases since outfielder Coco Crisp of Los Angeles, California had 49 stolen bases in 2011. The fact that a player on the Athletics led the American League in stolen bases could be considered a little surprising. That is because the Athletics have traditionally not focused on speed and the stolen bases statistic while evaluating talent in the last 25 years during the Billy Beane led Money Ball Era.
Ruiz in 2024
Ruiz missed the majority of the 2024 Major League Baseball season with a strained left wrist. During 29 games, 55 at bats, and 65 plate appearances, he scored 10 runs, and had 11 hits, two doubles, one triple, two home runs, eight runs batted in, only five stolen bases, four walks, 21 total bases, two sacrifice bunts, two sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .270, and a slugging percentage of .382.
The triple and two sacrifice bunts came in Athletics wins. The triple was in a 4-3 Athletics win over the Cleveland Guardians on March 31, 2024. The first sacrifice bunt was in a 3-1 Athletics win over the New York Yankees on April 25, and the second sacrifice bunt was in an 8-1 Athletics win over the Seattle Mariners on May 11.
Red hot Dodgers
Los Angeles is flying on all cylinders at the moment. They have a perfect record of eight wins and zero losses. Remarkably, they are one of two teams in the National League West undefeated as the San Diego Padres are 7-0.
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