Giants' Darin Ruf began a rehab assignment Tuesday night

Ruf is eligible to return to the team when the Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Tuesday, he was batting second and playing first for Sacramento, hitting between once-and-future prospects Heliot Ramos and Casey Schmitt.

In four plate appearances, Ruf went 0-for-3 with a walk. He popped out, lined out, and struck out. But the important thing is that he played seven innings in the field and got four at-bats. And, he flashed the leather in the field.

The game indicated that Ruf is close to coming back. And that he's close to being a viable alternative to LaMonte Wade Jr. against left-handed pitching.

Also in Sacramento Tuesday night, catcher Patrick Bailey got his first hit in his four games as a AAA player, though he benefited from some less than stellar fielding from Aviators outfielder Cody Thomas.

Bailey also drew three walks and didn't score on any of them, which would have fit in perfectly with the big league club Tuesday in Houston.

We will see if Ruf is in the lineup for Wednesday's day game in Sacramento, though our best guess would be that he's the designated hitter. 

Ruf's wrist appears to be on the mend, which means Gabe Kapler will have more hitting options and Farhan Zaidi can do his favorite thing: Tinker with the big league roster at the margins.