The Dodgers traded outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins on Monday in exchange for right-handed prospect Adriano Marrero.
The speedy Ruiz served as outfield depth for the World Series champion Dodgers last season. He was primarily a defensive replacement or pinch-runner in his 19 appearances for Los Angeles, hitting .190 (4-for-21) with four stolen bases.
This move comes two days after Miami dealt Dane Myers to Cincinnati for Minor League outfielder Ethan O’Donnell.
Ruiz replaces Myers’ right-handed bat and center-field capability. After Myers’ departure, Miami didn’t have a true backup center-field option behind Jakob Marsee (outside of prospect Victor Mesa Jr.) or a righty outfield bat other than Heriberto Hernández.
Since Ruiz was on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, the Marlins had to clear a spot for him, and Eric Wagaman was designated for assignment as a corresponding move. Ruiz has one Minor League option remaining and is not arbitration eligible until after the 2026 season.
As a rookie, Wagaman hit .250/.296/.378 with 28 doubles, three triples, nine homers and 53 RBIs in 140 games this past season. He made a team-leading 94 starts at first base.
With Miami signing Christopher Morel to primarily play first base and adding Ruiz, Wagaman’s role at first or in the corner outfield would've shrunk. Catcher Liam Hicks, infielder Graham Pauley and outfielder Griffin Conine will be the other first-base options.
Ruiz, who turns 27 in February, racked up an American League-leading 67 stolen bases for the A's in 2023. He ranked second overall, trailing only Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr. (73). That came one year after Ruiz had 85 stolen bases in just 114 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022.
A former top prospect, Ruiz has now been traded five times in his career. In 197 games from 2022-25 between the Padres, Brewers, A’s and Dodgers, he posted a slash line of .241/.296/.343 with 27 doubles, three triples, eight homers and 77 steals. During that span, he had 134 strikeouts to 27 walks.
Though Ruiz provided some insurance while the Dodgers dealt with injuries to Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman this past season, he wasn't expected to factor into the club's outfield plans for 2026.
As for Marrero, the 18-year-old righty signed with the Marlins out of Cuba last offseason. He had a 3.82 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 33 innings over 10 starts in the Dominican Summer League.