ST. LOUIS (AP) — First baseman/outfielder Darin Ruf agreed to a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, two days after he elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to the minor leagues with the San Francisco Giants.
Milwaukee will pay $541,935, a prorated share of the $720,000 major league minimum, and the Giants are responsible for $178,065.
The New York Mets are paying the rest of Ruf’s $3 million salary plus a $250,000 buyout of his contract’s 2024 team option — a total of $2.53 million. New York acquired Ruf in a trade with San Francisco last August, then released him this year before he signed with the Giants again.
The 36-year-old Ruf hit .261 with no homers and three RBIs in nine games with the Giants this season. San Francisco designated him for assignment on May 9.
Ruf split time with the Giants and Mets last season. He batted .204 with a .307 on-base percentage, .338 slugging percentage, 11 homers and 45 RBIs in 118 games.
His .886 career OPS against left-handed pitching could prove helpful for his new team. The Brewers have an MLB-low .618 OPS against lefties. Their .278 on-base percentage against lefties ranks ahead of only the Minnesota Twins’ .273.
Ruf has a .240 career batting average with a .330 on-base percentage, .430 slugging percentage, 67 homers and 205 RBIs in 570 games. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2012-16, spent three seasons in South Korea, then returned to the majors with San Francisco in 2020.
In other moves Monday, the Brewers placed first baseman Luke Voit on the 10-day injured list with a strained neck, transferred right-handed pitcher Brandon Woodruff to the 60-day injured list, recalled right-hander Trevor Megill from Triple-A Nashville and optioned right-hander Colin Rea to Nashville.
Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, has pitched in just two games this season due to a shoulder issue. His last appearance was April 7.
Rea had gone 0-3 with a 5.52 ERA in seven appearances, including six starts. He allowed four runs over 3 2/3 innings Sunday in a 9-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – San Francisco Giants’ Darin Ruf tosses his bat as he draws a walk during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)