The Mets have acquired first baseman/left fielder Darin Ruf from the Giants for third baseman J.D. Davis according to SNY’s Andy Martino. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Giants also picked up southpaw Thomas Szapucki and A-ball pitchers Nick Zwack and Carson Seymour in the trade.
At the risk of stating the obvious, the trade suggests the Mets think Ruf can help them more this year than Davis, as both are bat-first right-handed hitters. Ruf, who recently turned 36, continues to serve as a lefty-masher this year. He’s got a 155 wRC+ in 337 plate appearances against southpaws since returning from KBO in 2020, which ranks fourth in all of MLB. Ruf actually succeeded against righties as well in 2020-21, but has struggled against them this year. He’s earning $3MM on the season, of which about $1MM remains. He also has a $3.5MM club option for 2022 with a $250K buyout. Ruf and fellow new acquisition Daniel Vogelbach make for an excellent platoon at designated hitter for the Mets.
Davis, 29, is under team control as an arbitration eligible player for both the 2023 and ’24 seasons. Though not known for his glove, unlike Ruf, Davis is capable of playing third base. Since coming over from the Astros in a January 2019 trade, Davis has posted a 125 wRC+ for the Mets in 1,100 plate appearances. He hasn’t shown a significant platoon split in that period, and has flashed eye-popping Statcast metrics at times. This year, however, Davis has posted just a 102 wRC+ for the Mets in 207 plate appearances and hasn’t been drawing many starts of late. Davis became particularly expendable with the Mets’ signing of Eduardo Escobar back in November plus the acquisition of Vogelbach. Davis played in 140 games for the Mets in 2019, but has played in only 195 games since 2020 due to injuries.
In Szapucki, the Giants get a lefty with a pair of big league appearances to his name. Szapucki has mostly operated as a starter in the minors, posting a strong 21.6 K-BB% in 64 Triple-A innings this year. Prior to last season, Baseball America rated him as a 45-grade prospect, saying he can “land three pitches for strikes,” and needed to recover his velocity after spending 2020 at the Mets’ alternate site. Szapucki has indeed done so, working at 90.9 miles per hour in his lone 2021 MLB appearance but pitching at 95.1 in a brutal May 25th outing at San Francisco in which he surrendered nine earned runs while recording only four outs. Apparently Giants brass liked what they saw in that outing, despite their hitters beating up on Szapucki with four home runs.
Zwack, a 24-year-old southpaw, moved to High-A in May and has excelled with a 22.8 K-BB%. A 17th round pick in 2021 out of Xavier University, it remains to be seen if Zwack can sustain his success when facing opponents closer to his own age. Seymour, a 23-year-old righty, moved into the Brooklyn Cyclones’ rotation around the same time as Zwack. With a 25.0 K-BB% rate, he’s been successful as well aside from the longball. Seymour was drafted by the Mets in the sixth round in 2021 out of Kansas State.
This is the big answer for the Mets.
Mets not ponying up for Contreras.
I was joking
Can’t get Contreras anyways now that they traded away fans #1 trade chip Davis.
Nobody suggested this. Idiot.
You will be pleasantly surprised by Ruf. He’s having a down year but is still productive, gets on base, and is even passable in LF. A perfect guy off the Mets bench. I’d arther have him than Davis TBH.
Have you watched any Giants games, Ruf is horrible and 36.
He’s a strikeout artist.
Giants fleeced you on this one.
Davis is horrible and Ruf’s platoon splits are just fine. No one fleeced anyone here. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
Just Zaidi hoping for lightning in a bottle. Mets nor Giants win this one or than Ruf getting a chance to play in the post-season.
His lightning in a. Bottle is usually mud in your eye and egg in our face
The Giants wanted to give Ruf more chances against righties this year but it just didn’t go all that well. It sounds like the Mets will have him return to mostly just facing lefties in a DH platoon.
I think there’s a pretty good chance he’ll do well in NY and he’s probably stoked to be joining such a strong contender.
Another moronic move brought to you by Silly Eppler!!
Give up that much and get nothing back?
Mets fans are so confusing. “Davis is crap” but expecting him to fetch some kind of ransom in a trade.
This trade is like swapping a pair of worn out shoes for worn out underwear.
That’s because we traded Davis for someone else who is also literally Davis. While burning prospects in the process.
I don’t think Davis is crap and I don’t like this trade
Why the hell did you think you were going to get back for Davis. Eppler has made major upgrades to to 3 bench/DH. The dead line is still an hour and a half away. I would expect a deal for some relief pitching.
I hope with an hour and half away someone cuts Eppler’s phone lines.
Overpay for a 36 year old bum adding payroll this year and next and giving up more in return? OK I would have only expected and even swap for Davis not a 36 year old bum having a bad year and prospects to boot!
that is an awful lot to give up for Ruf!
@DakotaJoe; my exact sentiment. 36 years old and looks like a platoon guy. Gulp.
RUF is the big bat! NOT JD Martinez for Smith and Davis. Very very dumb. Thanks, Sandy. Go and read tomorrow’s sports page in San Diego.
You can’t seriously think Smith & Davis would bring JD Martinez. You got plenty of value in Darrin Ruf, you’ll see.
Ah man, liked that guy
Wish him well and hope he gets that ring!
I liked JD , I too thought we were fleeced on this one, why not Dom Smith instead? I know this isn’t over yet, but I thought we would get some relief help at least; The Padres are running circles around everyone..
Padres are running circles around EVERYONE!
This is embarrassing to the rest of baseball. In the meantime, the Mets pick up Vogelbach, Naquin and Ruf? No Hader? Soto? or Contreras? Sandy must go. This has to be his last season.
Talk about spoiled fans. Already acquired damn near a whole team the past year or two and upset because they didn’t get the rest of the top guys. How can you even get excited about winning when it’s not because of developing your players, just that you outbid everyone for everything?
Shame because long suffering Mets fans should be excited but this is a greedy mindset.
Perfect platoon partner for Vogelbach!
Ruff 216 BA will be a big help what a bum they should have just call Ed Vientos
This is a disappointment. I rather have Davis on the team
Even with those bad overall numbers, Ruf has an OPS of .886 vs lefties this year. Davis has a bit of a reverse split and has a .660 OPS vs lefties. It’s a definite upgrade for the Mets if they keep the platoon with Vogelbach strict.
I think you mean Mark Vientos….
I think he meant to say ‘call up Vientos’ and somehow got autocorrected to ‘call Ed Vientos’.
And picture his phone starting to dial: “calling Ed Vientos”.
Check his numbers vs LHP. That is who he will be facing.
Yes. Better against lefties then Davis. Vilgelbach better with righties than smith.
A 900 ops dh! 2 guys but still. Other will be late inning rbi pinch hitter.
This is rough.
*Ruf
Ruf is a dog. Hey someone had to say it
Now that’s rough.
Risky. Ruf and Vogelsbach (sp?) platooning. If this backfires, surely Eppler will be in Cohen’s doghouse.
This is the most Mets acquisition I’ve ever seen
lolmets
Calm down 3rd place team.
Wait the Mets just traded their #2 prospect for a CF with an OPS of .624? Oh wait that was the Phillies. Lol Phillies
*correction #3 prospect.
Ruf will platoon. .886 vs LHP compared to Davis’s .660. At least spend a second researching before barfing out a lazy LOLMets.
Also, how is 3rd place treating you?
I don’t like this trade. Only because advanced metrics have JD as one of the most unlucky hitters in MLB. As mentioned, his hard hit rate is very good.
I believe he was top 5 in xwoba – woba at some point.
Just a quick “hats off” to the writers today! Keep them coming and watch out for carpal tunnel! Thanks!
kiss up
@kripes-brewers
Nicely said.
Lefty killer
Not anymore
What are you talking about? He’s having a down year, but he still has an .886 OPS against LHPs.
Ryan Howard’s replacement many moons ago.
But in true Philly fashion, he got yanked around and not given a legit chance….
Actually he played a lot and stunk it up. He found himself in South Korea and had a nice career since. I don’t love the move for the Mets, but Ruf will contribute.
Agree to disagree…..given short stints from 13-15…..Not a bonified starter, but not a “stunk it up guy” either….
And they still had Howard and that contract all 3 of those seasons…..
Honestly, that’s fair. 13-15 were just a disaster. So maybe I’m misrembering the rebuild years.
Was he just a product of the juiced ball?
They should try for Kapler too
Pass
Couldn’t find anyone hitting at least .230? Geez
Who cares about ba with a near 900 ops.
Wilmer was RIGHT there
And that’s all the value you can get back for JD Davis? A 36 year old guy who can’t hit righties to save his life and has term left on his deal?
Davis is oft-injured and has a negative WAR. He has no more value than Ruf.
Eh, I wouldn’t call him “oft-injured”. He was more or less an everyday player in 2019/2020, and most of his time missed last season stemmed from an HBP early in the year – the same thing that cost him some time earlier this season (HBP in his left foot).
I get the reason *why* the Mets would trade for Ruf, just pushing back against the idea that a 36 year old on a middling team should get back a 29 year old with a better track record than he has *plus* a couple lottery tickets.
It’s not a major move, and I don’t love it or anything, but imo, it improves the current team. I’m not concerned about the prospects involved, as the Mets system is top-heavy, so low-level prospects from them are not worth much.
I call Davis oft-injured because he’s never played more than 140 games in a season and only has one season above 73 games. Plus he seems to have nagging small injuries a bit. Maybe some of that is baf luck, like the HBP, but the bottom line is he never seems fully healthy.
I knew it. Alonso to Rays confirmed.
JD Davis going to SF
Is JD Davis not better against lefty’s?
I was curious so I checked. JD Davis actually has reverse career splits. with a 115 wRC+ against lefties and a 116 against righties.
Ruf on the other hand has a career 153 wRC+ against lefties verses an 88 against righties.
No. He has slight reverse splits through his career.
I know it’s a business, but some of these players have gotta be devastated…
JD’s from Northern California so he’s probably not devastated outside of leaving this team.
He has some pretty sweet proDodger tweets from ten years ago.
Baseball is fun!
prospects??? what freaking prospects???? for a 35 year old has-been??? are you kidding me!!!
He actually just turned 36
might as well have kept Davis.
HUH? RUF is better than JD Davis.
I like JD Davis to be honest
Mets gave up too much
Giant fans- how do you guys feel about Ruf?
I Wish JD well. I was hoping he’d eventually get hot but he’s just been horrible for the Mets this year. Not a good fielder although some promise at 1b but without his bat he’s not someone a winning team wants on the rister.
Feel exactly the same about Ruf. Great guy, clubhouse leader. Actually sneaky good the last few years, mashes lefties. Got exposed to a ton of righties this year and was brutal, but if you guys platoon him he’ll be fine. We play him in LF a lot where he’s pretty terrible, but fine at 1B. Anecdotally, I live by the ballpark and see him and his wife and kid walking around the neighborhood giving out care packages to the homeless folks like once a month, which is pretty awesome.
Buster Posey described Darin Ruf as the nicest guy he’d ever met.
Buster needed to get out more
You know where nice guys finish.
That’s one of the most putrid and demonstratively false sayings that has ever existed. It’s a loser’s quote.
The logical part of me is happy to see the Giants ship out a mid-30’s iffy-defense player. Though Ruf had quietly hit very well since 2020, getting anything for him in a down year is not a bad move for the .500 Giants.
The emotional part of me is shocked at how sad it is to see him go. He’s always seemed like a great teammate and someone everyone raves about, and his comeback was a nice story.
Hit some playoff bombs off the Dodgers and/or Padres, Ruffy!
Also, JD Davis and prospect(s) is a great return for the Giants. Davis provides insurance for if/when Longoria and Flores leave, and he’s a better fit for the Giants’ needs defensively than a 1B/DH-type like Ruf. Plus, some lotto ticket prospects sprinkled on top… I like it, despite how much I’ll miss watching Ruf mash NL West lefties
I swear some of you guys don’t even know who these players are.
Ruf has a 152 wRC+ and .382 wOBA with 9 homers against lefties this year. He’s the perfect compliment to righty-killer Vogelbach at DH.
Prospects and Davis for Ruf? Serious overpay. Their values are pretty even straight up.
Awful trade deadline by the Mets, I really don’t know how they can redeem themsevles at this point. This trade was a stupid one. They should of gotten Josh Bell and Soto. The prospects the Padres gave up could of easily been matched by the Mets
Washington was never trading in their division and especially to the Mets. Plus we were not going to trade either of our top 2 prospects which we would have had to thrown in for any deal with the Nationals.
Prospects are just prospects. Many have not done anything. Soto is a proven player. Jared Kelenic, Amed Rosario, Dustin Ackley were all top 5 prospects at one point in baseball
You are an idiot if you believe the nats were trading away soto to the mets, braves or phillies unless those teams were coming in waaaaaaaayy over the top of all the other teams in baseball
Never in a million years would the Nats trade Soto to the Mets.
The difference is that the Padres had/have a better farm system. Trading that amount of value to the Nats would have destroyed the system for a couple of years.
Mets are in 1st and get deGrom back today. There’s no need to pull off a massive blockbuster. Simple, small moves can be good. Look at the Braves last year. If the Mets can add a lefty reliever, this will be a fine deadline.
I’d love a catcher, personally
rct:
The Padres farm hasn’t been that good. People are thinking it’s 2-3 years ago when it was ranked #2. But since then, and prior to the Soto acquisition, Preller has traded away half of his top 30 prospects. Before getting Soto, they were ranked 15-17th.
It wasn’t that SD had a better farm, it’s that they have a GM willing to go all in, and risk the future trading 4 of their top 5 guys. Don’t be surprised if their farm is now ranked last, or close to it. If they win it all in the next couple of years, it’s worth it, but it’s a huge gamble.
Wow. More negativity from a terrible Mets fan.
How were they going to do that? No way they were trading in division. And were you willing to give up all of our top prospects for him? Listen, Soto WILL be a free agent in three years at age 26 if we want him then. Bet that a Boras client tests free agency.
I’m stunned that they haven’t address their middle relief yet. Still a few hours left.
This was never happening. Nats would have wanted 4x the value the Padres offered in order to trade him within the division. I’m just happy he’s not a Philly or a Brave. And hopefully if he wasn’t happy in Wash he’s happy now on the west side.
The biggest move for the Mets today will be the one taking the mound tonight. The returns from the IL are bigger than the trades.
Great trade by Giants, pains me to say
2021 is indicative of what J.D. can do offensively notwithstanding this year. He’s not much in the field though,
SFG expanded his role in 2022 and just didn’t get the same production with most of the struggles against RHP combined with an overall slow start in April.
Agile around 1b, he’s stretched in the OF but gives big time quality AB’s in PH role too. He has a role where he exceeds, just need to put him in it
Well at least the Phillies had to settle for Robertson
Giants look like they are trading to be trading…. Ruf is a good guy, good clubhouse guy. Neither one of these players are going to change their new clubs world.
“Giants look like they are trading to be trading…”
It might look that way to you, but come what may, that’s a really absurd notion. 🙂
Oh noooo, we love Darin!!!
Thank you Mutts!
Am sad to hear a lot Darin being traded. Best of luck to him in NY. #forevergiant
Giants are sellers. This trade only marginally helps the Mets and hurts the Giants. Davis and Ruf are twins, with Ruf hitting more HRs.
not terrible for both sides. the fact that the Mets are ALSO sending prospects raised my eyebrows. If Farhan wants your prospects, you should be curious.
I just woke up from a nap and read the title too quick. I thought the Mets nabbed JD Martinez. Man I’m upset and disappointed.
This is a quietly excellent move by the Mets.
Ruf has a 152 wRC+ and .382 wOBA against lefties and would be pairing at DH with Vogelbach who has a 156 wRC+ and .393 wOBA against righties.
To put things into perspective, a Ruf/Vogelbach platoon at DH would currently have about a .900 OPS. That would rank 10th in MLB this season, one spot behind Alonso and one spot ahead of Soto.
It’s not sexy on the surface but the Mets have a an extremely solid DH platoon now.
I think people are underestimating the importance of having a deep roster. Naquin, Vogelbach and Ruf aren’t great players in a vacuum, but they all have particular skills that are great fits for what the Mets need. They solved their DH issues without giving up any major pieces or taking on a big contract.
Per Cots, Ruf is signed thru ’23 @ $3M/yr. $3.5M club option for ’24 w/ $250k buyout.
Eppler is a moron; enough said!
Way overpay with nothing back in return?
don’t you think these moves have Sandy’s fingerprints all over them? Eppler is just there for the press conferences.
Three prospects included too? This is moronic.
This was an overpay. I think Ruf may do ok but they gave up too much in prospect capital to get him. Eppler is getting outplayed by even the Phils and even worse the Twins. And the Giants GM fleeced him on what should have been a one on one trade of Davis and Ruf.
lmao, give me a break. Those prospects should amount to little. Szapucki is terrible. Was always an overrated prospect on “lists” by the so-called gurus. It was basically Ruf for Davis, a win for the Mets
The prospects are borderline worthless. They were just sweeteners. I would be surprised if any of them contribute on the major league level.
I’m a little confused why it cost multiple prospects plus JD Davis to acquire an older platoon bat, but I’m not opposed to the move if they correctly deploy the DH.
Hoping to see some arms coming into Flushing to bolster the bullpen or cleverly solidifying the lineup is for naught.
You have to understand, add-in prospects are mainly to appease the fans, to make it look like they got “prospects” so they think theres great potential being added
Szapucki had a good 98 fastball so he made prospect lists, but couldnt command or control it, with below average secondary stuff
You don’t want him up the middle but it’s Ruf around the edges.
Getting rid of Davis is addition by subtraction for the Mets. Great and smart trade to (finally) deal Davis
Met fan – you will like Ruf. Nobody ever has a bad word to say about him. Super nice guy who will hit the occasional dramatic HR. Yes, he k’s too much, but he also gets on base. He’s also passable at 1B if needed. Bummed to lose his great attitude and team spirit. I know zero about Davis. The last thing the Giants need is another guy who can’t field, so please tell me this guy can field a damn routine ground ball, because our infield pretty much can’t.
Sorry but J.D. can’t field. The value for the Giants will end up being somewhere amongst the 3 prospects they received.
“Ruf is on the move!” (x3), courtesy of Duane Kuiper calling the 4/9 walk off. He’s not a speedster, but well-loved in SF.
You cannot put Davis in the field, anywhere
You cannot put Davis in the field, anywhere.
Wow and all this under Cohen’s watch? Eppler needs to be fired once the Braves pass them in the next few weeks. This is a smack in the face to all life long Mets fans.
See, here you go. Another fan who doesnt have any idea whats happening. The hordes and hordes of people like this are the ones who will battle the few that do know on literally every comment they make
Absurd overreaction to a minor move here that improves the current team. Also, we’ve been hearing about how the Braves are going to overtake the Mets any day now for a month. Still 3.5 game lead. I’ll take it.
Go look at what the padres did.
Pencil neck
Go be a Padres fan, twit.
Addition by subtraction.
@icantstandyous spot on dude; smacked my face and back slapped on the way out!
@dlw0906 born in NY out here in Angel Honk land
Eppler ruined the Angels and now he is ruining the Mets!
.210 hitting 36 year old Phillies cast offs. Yea sure bud.
Maybe look at his platoon splits because he’s not going to be hitting against RHP. And who cares what his former teams were?
I guess Eppier is a moron bringing in Marte, Canha, Escobar, and Bassitt.
Plus, Vogelbach will be an asset.
I guess they will fire him after winning the NL East.
@metsgolf OK I guess its smart to to bring in 36 year old Duff Beer for Davis and 3 propects when the Padres picked up Brandon Drury a much better player all around than Vogelback, Duff, and Naquin and all Eppler had to give up to get them!
You must be one of the posters who predicted that the Mets would be under .500 at the All Star Break.
Cry some more about it, troll. The Mets could trade Joely Rodriguez for Mike Trout and you’d still be posting your tired garbage about Eppler.
Now trade dom for a bag of old pop cans and I’d call it a good trade deadline
Not necessary. He’s on the IL-10 and could be moved to the IL-60 if they need the spot on the 40-man roster. He’d be eligible to return on 9/15 if they did that and depth is good to have.
Gave away the farm for a utility bat. How in the world does Eppler have a job. Holy smokes team will get smoked in the first round.
Gave away the farm? None of these guys are even in the top 30 of the Mets farm system. Some of you haters are absolutely clueless.
Please go on. Could use a good laugh.
why on earth are the Mets just tossing in arms to this deal? Ruf is 36…….Davis alone is plenty. WTF
It’s ridiculous
HFS you didn’t even know these people before reading this article and now it’s the end of the world.
And you obviously didn’t even bother to do any research before spewing whatever that was.
Brandon Drury would have looked better considering what the padres gave up for him. I would honestly have loved A wilmer return to Queens.
Brandon Drury went to the Padres for one minor league player of no real value!
Where was Eppler!? Are you freaking kidding me!! and you give up 3 prospects plus Davis for Duff!!
Just a stupid move by Eppler and the Mets. Huge overpay.
PLUS THREE PROSPECTS? For Darrin RUF? LOL, For JD Martinez, I’d understand. Darrin Ruf?
For Jd martinez I do that all day and even give them Dom Smith
Darin Ruf is a very good bat that will help the Mets win now and in the playoffs. I would never trade Ruf even up for Davis; I just hope the Giants got a decent prospect in the deal, otherwise this deal is a huge get for the Mets. You will see.
Mets had a great deadline just for the simple fact that they were able to unload Davis
Not happy with Ruf but agree Jd had to move on,if we can only move Dom and add A reliever or two we will have A good day. Though myself I would have liked to see a better upgrade offensively at C.
JD is good when plays regularly. That’s the mistake Mets made with him over the past few seasons.
I guarantee you will be happy with Ruf. He’s just the kind of guy who comes off the bench and hits the GWHR to clinch the pennant. He’s the guy you pull for, which, reading these comments, doesn’t seem to be the case with Davis.
Bad move. Geesch
Davis looks to start at 3B for the Giants in 2023 & 2024.
Bye Bye Longoria.
Announce your retirement AFTER SF pays you $5 MM to buy out your 2023 option.
Not likely Davis starts at 3B for the Giants the next few years. We know he can’t field and we’ve already seen enough of that this year from our own guys—something quite foreign to SF fans.
Mets are so funny to me
Horrible trade for the Mets. 4 players for Darin Ruff. Totally stupid.
I bet you couldn’t name the three prospects involved in this trade without scrolling up.
HOW DARE THEY TRADE THEM THOUGH
Eppler is an embarrassment to baseball. They did nothing. Addressed nothing. Got worse, while everyone else got much better. Thanks to Sandy and Eppler.
Agreed especially with Sandy he is way to conservative.
JD Davis has a .660 OPS vs lefties. Ruf has a .886. Yet another clueless overreaction.
Come on Mets. You really not doing anything. This is Wilpon-esk. Ughhh
This is a terrible trade for the mets. JD Davis has 90th percentile hard hit percentage. He is going to absolutely flourish in San Fran. Another deadline, another overpay by the mets front office.
The Giants got a MLB player AND 3 prospects for Darren Ruf.
Zaidi robbed the Mets! Jeez!
Heck of a return for a weak platoon
OPS against lefties 2020-2022
1- Tres Turner – .1108
2- Rhys Hoskins – .989
3- Aaron Judge – .988
4- Trevor Story – .958
5- José Ramirez – .940
6- Darin Ruf – .937
@Chris G Hey why don’t you put up Padres getting Brandon Drury who can play infield and outfield who has 20 HRs and a .274 batting average and played well in NY last year and was had for 1 minor league player!
That is better than Duff beer, Fatbach, and Nieve all put toghether and look what silly eppler had to give up when he could have had Drury for one minor league palyer!
Now the Mets tie up 3 roster spots with 3 guys who can’t even be put in the field!
Condolences to @Canosucks
I remember when I called you out for only being on the board when the Mets are winning and disappear when they’re losing, you said it’s because you have a life. So I figured that you are only here when you don’t have a life. Since I’ve been seeing you here all this season, I realize that you currently don’t have a life, and that’s why you’re here all the time this season instead of other reasons having to do with the Mets season.
I just can’t figure out why everything can’t fall into place for you. When you have a life to where you don’t need to be here, it’s when the Mets are losing. But when the Mets are winning, you don’t have a life so you need to pacify yourself here. When will be the day that the Mets are winning and you have a life at the same time? It’s sad to see that the universe plays with you so much.
Definitely a A for the Giants. Did it really take Davis and 2 decent arms to get your lefty killer? No better than a D for Mets. Good plan. Bad execution.
Sooooo dumb lol
Wait a minute…so after all the value that Mets fans claimed JD Davis had over his time in NY, he is one of a few pieces in a trade for Darin Ruf?
What a dumb trade. I’m not certain If Davis for Ruf straight would have even been a good deal for the Mets! Then to add szapucki to the deal was absolutely stupid. That guy has talent and yes, struggled in the majors (small sample) but he has MLB mid-rotation potential. Ruf is just roughing it and is done. Based on Davis’ stats this season you could say the same for him but he’s shown he can hit and he’s 7 years younger than Ruf. Why waste the prospects in this trade and the time to put this deal together?