SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Darin Ruf agreed Saturday to a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants, reuniting with his former team six days after he was released by the New York Mets.
The 36-year-old spent parts of three seasons with San Francisco from 2020-22, batting .248 with 32 home runs in 247 games.
“We love Darin, and obviously, we have a lot of familiarity with him around here,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “We think the world of him as a human being. He performed very well for us for the time that he was in San Francisco.”
Ruf agreed in March 2022 to a $6.25 million, two-year contract with the Giants and was traded to the Mets on Aug. 2. He hit .152 (10 for 66) without a home run in 28 games with the Mets last season and batted .167 (5 for 30) with nine strikeouts during spring training.
New York is responsible for his $3 million salary this year and a $250,000 buyout of a 2024 option. If the Giants add Ruf to the major league roster, they would be responsible for a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum, which would be offset against the money owed by the Mets.
San Francisco also placed catcher Roberto Pérez on the 60-day injured list because of a right rotator cuff strain and selected the contract of catcher Austin Wynns from Triple-A Sacramento.
In addition, catcher Joey Bart began an injury rehabilitation assignment with the River Cats. He went on the injured list with a strained back on March 31, a day after entering the opener at the New York Yankees in the eighth inning. ___
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