Former MLBer Darin Ruf files lawsuit against Cincinnati Reds over negligence in field conditions

Former major league player Darin Ruf has filed a lawsuit against the Cincinnati Reds. He has accused them of causing his career-ending injury in 2023 at the Great American Ball Park, where he injured his knee on an unpadded metal tarp roller.

The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, two years following the injury which caused “permanent and substantial deformities to his knee.” The case is filed at the Hamilton County Court, Ohio, with charges of negligence in maintaining field safety.

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The Reds have not made any comments on the lawsuit yet. In a statement, Ruf said:

“This didn’t need to happen. I wish it didn’t happen. Players shouldn’t have to worry about hidden hazards like that on a major league field.”

Darin Ruf’s attorney commented on the incident, saying this could have been avoided if the Reds had taken safety measures. Ruf said the team is liable for their “reckless” actions and is seeking compensation.

“This was an obvious and avoidable risk,” Darin Ruf’s attorney Tad Thomas said. “There are basic safety protocols every MLB team should follow. Leaving an unpadded metal roller on the edge of the field is inexcusable.”

The incident occurred during the third inning of the Milwaukee Brewers game vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Ruf was running after a foul ball when he collided with the bare tarp roller, covered by an advertisement for Gorilla Glue.

Although the player left the field on his own, blood stains were visible on his knee. He was sent to the injured list for 60 days, but unfortunately, the player could not make his MLB comeback.

Darin Ruf’s run with in MLB ends with serious injury

Darin Ruf’s MLB career came to a permanent halt after the tarp incident at the Great American Ball Park. After debuting in the league with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012, he went on to play with several MLB teams.

He had a short stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers before going to the Samsung Lions (KBO). Ruf played with the San Francisco Giants in 2022 and later signed with the New York Mets.

The Mets released him after the season, and he signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, his time with the Brewers ended in the 11th game, followed by injury.

About the author

Kaushani Chatterjee is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda with a Master's in English and over 4 years of experience at publications such as FirstSportz.

Kaushani 's favorite teams are the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. She is a fan of Yankees as a group, their star power and their history oozes class. As for the Dodgers, Kaushani likes Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

She started watching the MLB during her school years and developed a keen interest in the sport. Now she is hooked.

Kaushani's hobbies include guitar, sketching, watching anime (tons of them), listening to music, and watching Asian dramas (Korean/Thai in general).

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash