Ruf, Giants agree to extension after breakout year

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Two years ago, Darin Ruf was in Giants camp as a non-roster invitee and attempting to return to the Majors following a three-year stint in the Korea Baseball Organization. Ruf made the most of the opportunity, establishing himself as a key weapon against left-handed pitching and quietly emerging as one of the best hitters on the 107-win Giants last year.

Ruf’s resurgence may have flown under the radar nationally, but the Giants certainly took notice, rewarding the 35-year-old first baseman/outfielder with a two-year, $6.25 million contract extension that includes a third-year club option on Tuesday. The deal buys out Ruf’s final two years of arbitration, as well as potentially one free agent season. Ruf will earn $3 million in each of the next two seasons, with a $3.5 million option for 2024 or a $250,000 buyout.

The Giants also agreed to terms with Mike Yastrzemski ($3.7 million), Curt Casali ($2.6 million) and Dominic Leone ($2.25 million) to avoid arbitration. San Francisco previously reached deals with Austin Slater ($1.85 million), Jarlín García ($1.725 million) and John Brebbia ($837,500), ensuring the club will be able to sidestep any arbitration hearings this year.

Ruf is expected to be a big piece of the offense this year, particularly following the retirement of Buster Posey and the departure of Kris Bryant, two of the Giants’ top right-handed bats in 2021. The Giants were expected to pursue another impact bat from the right side to help balance their lineup this offseason, but they ended up focusing on shoring up their pitching depth and brought in only one position player -- the left-handed-hitting Joc Pederson -- on a Major League deal.

President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said earlier this month that he didn’t plan to prioritize handedness while searching for offensive upgrades, as he felt the Giants’ group of right-handed hitters was “a little bit underrated.”

Ruf falls into that category, though he’s highly regarded by the Giants after hitting .271 with a .904 OPS and 16 home runs over 117 games in 2021. He ranked second on the team with a 144 wRC+ while posting a 93.1 mph average exit velocity and a 54.9 percent hard-hit rate last year.

“Maybe from the outside,” manager Gabe Kapler said when asked if he thought Ruf was underappreciated. “Not from the inside. His teammates and our coaching staff and our front office think he just rakes.”

Ruf, per usual, crushed lefties (1.007 OPS, nine homers) last season, but he also held his own against righties (.824 OPS, seven homers), which could create more opportunities for him to get in the Giants’ lineup regularly in 2022. Ruf is projected to see time in the corner outfield positions and at first base, but he also stands to benefit from the return of the designated hitter to the National League.

“We definitely think Ruf will get plenty of appearances against right-handed pitching,” Kapler said. “He earned that last year. His at-bats were as good as anybody against both left and right. We have a ton of confidence in sending him up there against the toughest right-handed pitchers and right-handed relievers.”