On June 2, 2023, about two years ago, Darin Ruf was playing first base for the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park during a game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Ruf attempted to chase a foul pop-up into foul territory in the third inning but struck an exposed tarp roller that was placed close to the field’s edge.
There was no protective cushioning on the naked metal roller. Ruf suffered a serious cut and a damaged kneecap when his knee collided with the jagged edge.
He was placed on the 60-day injured list and, tragically, never returned to MLB. “This didn’t need to happen,” Ruf said. “I wish it didn’t happen.
“Players shouldn’t have to worry about hidden hazards like that on a major league field.”
Allegation of Negligence
Ruf accused the Reds and their grounds staff of carelessness in a lawsuit he filed in Ohio’s Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas on May 22, 2025.
The complaint’s main contention was that the exposed tarp roller constituted a “obvious and avoidable risk,” completely violating fundamental MLB safety regulations.
According to Ruf’s attorney, Tad Thomas, “There are basic safety protocols every MLB team should follow. Leaving an unpadded metal roller on the edge of the field is inexcusable.”
Injury Severity & Career Impact
The lawsuit details that Ruf suffered a fractured kneecap and knee laceration when he struck the roller.
He never returned to form, with the injury inflicting “permanent and substantial deformities” to his knee. Despite attempts at rehabilitation, the 38-year-old has remained out of baseball since.
Ruf played for the Phillies, Giants, Mets, and Brewers throughout his nine seasons in the major leagues (2012–2023). Over the course of 581 games, he has amassed 205 RBIs, 67 home runs, and a.239 batting average.
Comparing This Case to Others Like It
Ruf’s complaint is similar to a historic case that was launched in 2017 by Dustin Fowler, an outfielder for the Yankees, against the Chicago White Sox and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority after he suffered a torn patellar tendon during their Major League debut at Rate Field.
While pursuing a foul ball, Fowler struck an unpadded, hidden metal electrical box, claiming the installation presented a hidden, “unreasonably dangerous and hazardous” environment.
In a pivotal 2018 decision, Judge Gary Feinerman rejected the White Sox’s attempt to shift the case into federal court–citing that state negligence claims didn’t hinge on interpretation of CBA provisions–and remanded the suit to Illinois court, establishing that stadium operators remain accountable for foreseeable hazards, even amid a structured safety committee framework.
