Ruiz (shoulder) has resumed hitting off a tee, and manager Mark Kotsay said Friday the outfielder is "further along than I thought he would be," Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
Ruiz remains without a timeline to return to major-league action after suffering a right shoulder subluxation. There are several important hurdles to clear in his recovery, and it's possible he will need a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated. Ruiz still leads the majors in steals despite being sidelined since July 5, but his lead is down to two over Ronald Acuna (41).