Ruiz becomes secret weapon for speedy Marlins

Speed is a weapon that has been well wielded by the Miami Marlins so far this season. 

Led by Jakob Marsee (13), the Marlins have demonstrated to be the fastest team on the base paths, leading MLB with 57 stolen bases. However, on the other side, the have also been caught stealing 17 times, which is among the highest in the big leagues. 

The Marlins player with the second most stolen bases doesn’t have everyday playing time. Outfielder Esteury Ruiz has been used as a secret weapon by the Marlins. He came into Saturday’s 10-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays as a pinch runner to score in the 10th inning. The Marlins kept scoring that Ruiz ended having a plate appearance, in which he drove in a run on a base hit. 

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said during his postgame press conference on Sunday that the Marlins “try each day looking at how to best utilize the 13-man position player group in one way.”

“Those guys that aren’t starting to be ready for whether they come off the bench to play defense in a game, pinch-hit, pinch-run, whatever it may be,” McCullough said. “Do something that day. Be ready for your moment that may come.”

Ruiz is 6-for-27 with two home runs in his limited opportunities but also has seven stolen bases and seven runs this season. He started the season on the injured list and didn’t make his Marlins debut until April 23.

“He has swung the bat well,” McCullough said. “He put together some good at-bats and handled himself well versus left thus far. It’s a nice dynamic to have him on our team, and he’s a great guy.” 

The Marlins acquired Ruiz over the offseason from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade for international pitching prospect Adriano Marrero. Adriano Marrero the other way. Ruiz’s potential for base stealing came in 2023, when he swiped 67 bags as a rookie with the Oakland Athletics.

The Marlins (21-26) went 2-4 during their recent road trip, including falling to the Rays in the Citrus Series this past weekend. The Marlins return home on Monday for a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves and a three-game series against the New York Mets.