The shocking recent news of Darin Ruf (39), who was the RBI leader in the KBO League 8 years ago, has become a topic of discussion.
According to a report by the Associated Press on the 23rd (Korean time), Ruf has filed a damage compensation lawsuit, stating that his career was interrupted due to the Cincinnati Reds' negligence in managing their home stadium.
Ruf, who was with the Milwaukee Brewers, played first base in a game against the Cincinnati Reds in June 2023 and injured his knee while attempting to catch a foul ball in the 3rd inning when he collided with a roller covering a tarp. After an examination, it was found that the condition of his knee was more serious than expected, and Ruf, who was placed on the 60-day injured list, could not return to Major League Baseball.
Ruf noted, "I ended my playing career after colliding with a roller covering a tarp at Great American Ball Park, the home stadium of Cincinnati in 2023. Such incidents must never happen again. Players should not have to worry about facility-related hazards in the stadium." He filed a lawsuit in Hamilton County Court in Ohio, stating that the Cincinnati organization failed to maintain safe stadium conditions.
Ruf additionally stated, "The end of the tarp roller was made of sharp metal material. I injured my knee because no protective cushioning was installed."
According to the Associated Press, the Cincinnati organization has not issued any official statement regarding this matter.
Ruf played as an exceptional foreign player for the Samsung Lions in the KBO League from 2017 to 2019. He was the RBI leader in 2017 (124 RBIs) and recorded a batting average of .313 with 467 hits, 86 home runs, and 350 RBIs over a total of 404 games in three seasons. Thanks to this performance, he returned to Major League Baseball and played for the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and Milwaukee through 2023.
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