Dodgers News: Esteury Ruiz Traded to Marlins in Exchange for Cuban Minor Leaguer
The Dodgers clear up some 40-man roster space by trading Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins
LOS ANGELES, CA—With fewer than three days remaining until the New Year, the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly made a minor move by trading journeyman outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Miami Marlins in exchange for 18-year-old Cuban minor league right-handed pitcher Adriano Marrero.
When the move is made official, the Dodgers’ 40-man roster will sit at 39 players.
While much of the Dodgers’ focus this offseason has been on marginal moves, such as re-signing World Series hero Miguel Rojas and bolstering the bullpen with the signing of All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, they’ve also been tasked with slimming down the active roster.
Before the trade, the Dodgers’ 40-man roster was full at 40 players after the Díaz signing was made official earlier this month. That isn’t a recipe for success in the offseason, especially with the team set to make several more moves before spring training begins in less than 60 days.
Ruiz joined the Dodgers organization in April through a trade that sent pitching prospect Carlos Duran to the Athletics. The Dodgers acquired Ruiz shortly after he was designated for assignment.
Ruiz played in 19 games for the Dodgers this past season, with a batting line of .190/.261/.333. He hit one home run, drove in two RBIs, scored two runs, stole four bases, and had a 67 wRC+ over 23 plate appearances.
This offseason, Ruiz joins Justin Dean as one of the outfielders the Dodgers have released. Dean was taken off their 40-man roster and quickly claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants.
Ruiz figured to spend the bulk of next season with Triple-A Oklahoma City and only get called up if an injury arose.
As for the return to Los Angeles, Marrero has yet to make his stateside debut but threw 33 innings in the Dominican Summer League, striking out 35, and was ranked in the Top 20 pitching prospects from the 2025 international signing class per Baseball America.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
