Esteury Ruiz DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Athletics have designated outfielder Esteury Ruiz for assignment. This transaction opened the spot for left-handed pitcher Angel Perdomo, whom the team claimed off waivers from the Angels. Ruiz appeared in 132 contests for the A's during the 2023 campaign and posted a .254/.309/.345 slash line with 24 doubles and one home run. He swiped an impressive 67 bags, which led the American League. However, in 2024, Ruiz appeared in just 29 games at the MLB level and held a modest .200/.270/.382 slash line with five stolen bases. Ruiz will return to Triple-A Las Vegas if he is not claimed on waivers. Fantasy managers should expect Perdomo to compete for a role in the Athletics' bullpen and will likely have a role as a middle-relief option.

The Athletics optioned outfielder Esteury Ruiz, right-handers J.T. Ginn, Elvis Alvarado and Grant Holman and third baseman Darell Hernaiz to Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday. Ruiz, 26, led all of baseball with 67 stolen bases in his first year with the Athletics after being acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, but he struggled in 2024 and was optioned to the minors. Ruiz finished last year with a .200/.270/.382 slash line, a .652 OPS, two home runs, eight RBI and only five steals in just 29 games played in Oakland. He still has plenty of speed, but he's fallen way down the team's outfield depth chart and will have to work his way back to the big leagues in 2025. Ginn, 25, lost out on a starting rotation spot in camp by posting an ugly 7.62 ERA and 1.85 WHIP with 16 strikeouts and eight walks in five Cactus League appearances. He'll provide rotation depth in Vegas to open the year.

Athletics outfielder Esteury Ruiz is viewed as the "odd man out" in the outfield and not expected to make the Opening Day roster. Martin Gallegos of MLB.com noted that Miguel Andujar and Seth Brown are projected to have more significant roles as depth options. Last season, Ruiz appeared in just 29 MLB contests. During this stint, he posted a .200/.270/.382 slash line with two home runs and five stolen bases. While he generated a weak .189 xBA, he showcased elite speed as he placed in the 95th percentile in sprint speed. In 2023, Ruiz swiped an incredible 67 bags (most in the American League) and held a .254/.309/.345 slash line across 132 games. As a result, fantasy managers should expect the 26-year-old to open the campaign at the Triple-A level. He may have value in deeper category formats if he were to return to the majors later in the summer.