The Dodgers agreed to trade outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins on Monday in exchange for right-handed prospect Adriano Marrero, a source told MLB.com. The clubs have not confirmed the deal.
The speedy Ruiz served as outfield depth for the World Series champion Dodgers last season. He was primarily a defensive replacement or pinch-runner in his 19 appearances for Los Angeles, hitting .190 (4-for-21) with four stolen bases.
Ruiz replaces Myers’ right-handed bat and center-field capability. After Myers’ departure, Miami didn’t have a true backup center-field option behind Jakob Marsee (outside of prospect Victor Mesa Jr.) or a righty outfield bat other than Heriberto Hernández.
Ruiz, who turns 27 in February, racked up an American League-leading 67 stolen bases for the A’s in 2023. He ranked second overall, trailing only Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. (73). That came one year after Ruiz had 85 stolen bases in just 114 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022.
Though Ruiz provided some insurance while the Dodgers dealt with injuries to Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman this past season, he wasn’t expected to factor into the club’s outfield plans for 2026.
As for Marrero, the 18-year-old righty signed with the Marlins out of Cuba last offseason. He had a 3.82 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 33 innings over 10 starts in the Dominican Summer League.