SF Giants' Darin Ruf starts rehab assignment

The injury-plagued Giants have at least one hitter on his way back, as Ruf played Tuesday for Sacramento's only currently active professional team

The beam won't light again until fall, but there's still sporting excitement in Sacramento. The SF Giants placed Darin Ruf on the ten-day injured list last week with inflammation in his wrist. Tuesday night, he was back on the field for the Sacramento River Cats.

Giants roster moves:

RHP Sean Hjelle optioned postgame last night to AAA Sacramento.

RHP Cole Waites recalled from AAA Sacramento.

OF Darin Ruf will begin a rehab assignment at AAA Sacramento tonight.

C Gary Sanchez has been released from the AAA Sacramento roster.

— Maria I. Guardado (@mi_guardado) May 2, 2023

Ruf is eligible to return to the team when the Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Tuesday, he was batting second and playing first for Sacramento, hitting between once-and-future prospects Heliot Ramos and Casey Schmitt.

In four plate appearances, Ruf went 0-for-3 with a walk. He popped out, lined out, and struck out. But the important thing is that he played seven innings in the field and got four at-bats. And, he flashed the leather in the field.

Darin Ruf handles the hot shot…or the hot dog, if you will. pic.twitter.com/uUmEAx6X4m

— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) May 3, 2023

The game indicated that Ruf is close to coming back. And that he's close to being a viable alternative to LaMonte Wade Jr. against left-handed pitching.

Also in Sacramento Tuesday night, catcher Patrick Bailey got his first hit in his four games as a AAA player, though he benefited from some less than stellar fielding from Aviators outfielder Cody Thomas.

Patrick Bailey gets his first hit as a River Cat! pic.twitter.com/jK5FIGdyy2

— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) May 3, 2023

Bailey also drew three walks and didn't score on any of them, which would have fit in perfectly with the big league club Tuesday in Houston.

We will see if Ruf is in the lineup for Wednesday's day game in Sacramento, though our best guess would be that he's the designated hitter. 

Ruf's wrist appears to be on the mend, which means Gabe Kapler will have more hitting options and Farhan Zaidi can do his favorite thing: Tinker with the big league roster at the margins.