Ryan Rua
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Ryan Rua
| image = Ryan Rua at Minute Maid on August 30 2014.jpg
| caption = Rua playing first base for the Texas Rangers
| team =
| number =
| position = Outfielder / First baseman
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|3|11}}
| birth_place = Amherst, Ohio, U.S.
| bats = Right
| throws = Right
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate = August 29
| debutyear = 2014
| debutteam = Texas Rangers
| finalleague = MLB
| finaldate = September 29
| finalyear = 2018
| finalteam = Texas Rangers
| statyear =
| statleague = MLB
| stat1label = Batting average
| stat1value = .236
| stat2label = Home runs
| stat2value = 23
| stat3label = Runs batted in
| stat3value = 67
| teams =
- Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2014}}–{{mlby|2018}})
}}
Ryan Anthony Rua (born March 11, 1990) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers.
Career
Rua attended Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst, Ohio. He attended NCAA Division II Lake Erie College. Rua was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 17th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. He was the first player in school history to be drafted.{{cite web|url=http://www.lakeeriestorm.com/sports/bsb/2010-11/releases/201106076olwuu|title=Ryan Rua Selected by Texas Rangers in MLB Draft|website=Lake Erie Storm|date=June 7, 2011|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}
He made his professional debut for the Arizona League Rangers that year and also played for the Spokane Indians. In 52 games, he hit .303./.376/.484 with four home runs. He returned to Spokane in 2012 and hit .293/.368/.432 with seven home runs in 74 games. During his time in the minor leagues, Rua primarily played third base and second base.
Rua started 2013 with the Hickory Crawdads.{{cite web|url=http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20130703/raging-rua-amherst-graduate-ryan-rua-tearing-up-class-a-level-of-major-league-baseball|title=Raging Rua: Amherst graduate Ryan Rua tearing up Class A level of Major League Baseball|website=The Morning Journal|author=Sam Ameen|date=June 3, 2013|accessdate=November 17, 2019}} At the end of June he was leading the entire minor leagues in homers.{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2013/06/29/amhersts-ryan-rua-is-leading-the-minor-leagues-in-home-runs/|title=Amherst's Ryan Rua is leading the minor leagues in home runs}} On August 9, he was promoted to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.{{cite web|url=http://www.observernewsonline.com/content/dads-inf-ryan-rua-promoted-double-frisco|title='Dads INF Ryan Rua promoted to Double-A Frisco|website=The News & Observer}}{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-56338134|title=Ryan Rua joins RoughRiders|author=Frisco RoughRiders|website=Minor League Baseball|date=August 8, 2013|access-date=November 17, 2019}} He finished the year hitting .247/.347/.525 with 32 home runs in 127 games.
He started the 2014 season back with Frisco. Rua was called up to the big leagues for the first time on August 29, 2014, and made his debut the same day at first base, collecting his first hit on an infield single. Rua finished his debut going 1-for-5 with a run scored. On September 21, 2014, Rua hit his first career homer, a solo shot off Angels' closer Huston Street, sending the Rangers to a 2–1 victory.
Rua made the Rangers 2015 opening day roster, and on opening day, Rua had the only base hit for the Rangers as they fell to Oakland 8–0.{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2015/03/31/texas-rangers-name-ryan-rua-starting-left-fielder-jake-smolinski-also-makes-team/|title=Texas Rangers name Ryan Rua starting left fielder; Jake Smolinski also makes team|author=Evan Grant|date=March 31, 2015|website=The Dallas Morning News|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}
On July 30, 2015, Rua hit an inside-the-park home run against the New York Yankees in the bottom of the fourth inning, tying the game 5–5 (the Rangers went on to win 7–6 after a walk-off from Josh Hamilton).
Before Opening Day 2016, Rua was informed he had made the Opening Day roster.{{cite web|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/mlb/amhersts-ryan-rua-makes-texas-rangers-roster/110242662|title=Amherst's Ryan Rua makes Texas Rangers roster|author=Matthew Florjancic|date=March 30, 2016|accessdate=November 17, 2019|website=WKYC}} He started out as a bench player, but as the end of April progressed, manager Jeff Banister began to trust Rua more and more as an every day player. When center fielder Delino DeShields, Jr. was sent down to Triple-A on May 13, Ian Desmond moved to center and Rua received the left field job. On May 10, 2016, he hit a 3-run home run in the 8th inning against the Chicago White Sox to cap the biggest Rangers' comeback since 2012 (13–11). But Rua began to struggle again and by the end of May he had lost his job to Nomar Mazara. In 99 games, Rua hit .258 with 8 home runs and 22 RBIs. The next two seasons, Rua would shuffle between the minors and the Rangers roster. Rua made one pitching appearance on July 23, 2018, throwing a scoreless inning and recording one strikeout.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/carlos-tocci-ryan-rua-pitch-for-rangers-c287058050|title=Tocci, Rua pitch, make Rangers history|website=MLB.com|author=Wesley Dotson|date=July 23, 2018|accessdate=November 17, 2019}} In 61 games for the Rangers, he batted .194/.221/.360 with six home runs and 12 RBI. On November 2, Rua was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A.{{Cite web|title=Rangers Decline Club Options Over Chirinos, Fister, Moore, Perez|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/11/rangers-decline-club-options-over-chirinos-fister-moore-perez.html|access-date=May 22, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=November 2, 2018 |language=en}} He subsequently elected free agency the same day.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/c999552fb68e4c3f963f74027f6dc17f|title=Rangers decline options on 4 players, Andrus stands pat|website=The AP|author=Stephen Hawkins|date=November 2, 2018|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}
Personal life
Rua's number 2 was retired by Marion L. Steele High School in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://fox8.com/2015/01/17/former-amherst-baseball-star-honored-first-athlete-to-have-their-jersey-retired/|title=Former Amherst baseball star honored, first athlete to have their jersey retired|author=Kaily Cunningham|website=FOX 8|date=January 17, 2015|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats| mlb=607387| espn=33631 | br=r/ruary01| fangraphs=12409 | brm=rua---000rya | retro=R/Prua-r001}}
- [http://lakeeriestorm.com/sports/bsb/2009-10/bios/rua_ryan_dctp Lake Erie College Storm bio]
- {{Twitter}}
- {{Instagram|ryan_rua|Ryan Rua}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rua, Ryan}}
Category:People from Amherst, Ohio
Category:Baseball players from Lorain County, Ohio
Category:Major League Baseball infielders
Category:Major League Baseball outfielders
Category:Texas Rangers players
Category:Lake Erie Storm baseball players
Category:Arizona League Rangers players
Category:Spokane Indians players
Category:Hickory Crawdads players
Category:Frisco RoughRiders players