Esteury Ruiz’s Home Run Helps Marlins Hand Dodgers Remarkable Series Loss

The new Miami Marlins outfielder got his first hit, and the Los Angeles Dodgers were handed something they haven’t gotten from the Marlins in a while.

Miami Marlins left fielder Esteury Ruiz (right). | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Miami Marlins had to wait more than a month to get a regular season hit out of Esteury Ruiz. But it was worth the wait.

Ruiz returned from the injured list last week, just in time for him to face his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was with them last season and got his World Series ring while he was on the road trip. He paid the Dodgers back for the ring with his first hit of the season, which just happened to be his first home run of the season.

That home run helped the Marlins win, 3-2, and do something that’s been rare for them in LA of late.

The Marlins’ Big LA Feat

Esteury Ruiz's first #Marlins hit is a homer! Against his former club.

Miami takes a 2-1 lead. pic.twitter.com/feGeDh1FLZ

— Isaac Azout (@IsaacAzout) April 29, 2026

Miami won its first series in Los Angeles in eight seasons by taking two out of three from the two-time defending world champions. The last time the Marlins won a road series against the Dodgers was in 2018. It also gave the Marlins back-to-back road game wins for the first time this season.

Miami signed Ruiz to a Major League deal this offseason hoping to add him to an outfield rotation that would include Kyle Stowers, Owen Caissie and Jakob Marsee. But he suffered left oblique strain late in spring training and had to start the season on the 10-day injured list. He began a rehab assignment on April 15 at Triple-A Jacksonville and was recalled by the Marlins and activated on April 23.

In five games he’s slashed .333/.333/.833 with a home run and an RBI.

Miami is heading back home to face Philadelphia for a four-game series that starts on Friday and wraps around to Monday. While the Marlins were in Los Angeles, the Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson and elevated former Miami skipper Don Mattingly to interim manager. It will be his first time back to Miami as a manager since he was let go after the 2022 season.

The Marlins have already set their rotation for the series. Eury Pérez will start on Friday, followed by Max Meyer Chris Paddack and Janson Jung. The Phillies have set their starters for the first two games of the series. Zack Wheeler will go on Friday and Aaron Nola will go on Saturday.

The Marlins (15-16) enter the series in second place in the NL East. The Phillies (10-19) are tied for last in the division with the New York Mets.