San Francisco Giants Re-Sign Familiar Face

This will not make New York Mets fans happy. After a disastrous trade and a very uninspiring stint with the Metropolitans, former San Francisco Giant Darin Ruf is heading back to San Francisco.

Darin Ruf is re-signing with the @SFGiants on a minor-league deal, sources tell @TheAthleticMLB

He spent 2020-22 with the Giants, then got traded to the Mets, who released him before Opening Day.

Best OPS, Giants RH hitters 2020-22
Ruf .814
Austin Slater .781
Evan Longoria .778

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) April 8, 2023

Ruf has signed a minor league deal with San Francisco.  

As noted by Jayson Stark of The Athletic, Ruf had the highest OPS (.814) among all right-handed hitters for the Giants for the three-year period running 2020 through 2022. 

It was enough of an impressive run for the Mets to trade three assets for Ruf to act as the right-hand side of a DH platoon. But New York waived the white flag a week ago, waiving Ruf a week ago after the 36-year-old hit .152 in 28 games last year in Queens, and then .167 in spring training this March. 

So in the end, the Giants end up with J.D. Davis, pitching prospects Carson Seymour, Thomas Szapucki, Nick Zwack, AND Darin Ruf... for Darin Ruf.

Photo: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports