Giants swap slugging outfielders: Dickerson is in, Ruf to IL

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SAN DIEGO -- Alex Dickerson is back on the active roster just in time to visit his favorite ballpark, but his arrival came with bad news for a key Giants hitter.

Darin Ruf was placed on the IL before Thursday's game at Petco Park with a right oblique strain. Ruf's oblique has been bothering him for several days, but the strain is a minor one and Ruf would be eligible to return for the final series of the regular season. With the playoffs approaching, the Giants wanted to make sure Ruf is ready to swing at full strength, as he quietly has been one of the more dangerous hitters in the National League.

Ruf has a .899 OPS and 15 homers in 250 at-bats. He is slugging .587 against left-handed pitchers and lately has been leading off against them. Ruf's IL stint is backdated to Sept. 20 and he's not expected to need more than the 10 days. 

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Dickerson had been on the IL since Sept. 4 with a hamstring strain, and with the way Steven Duggar has swung the bat and defended in center, there wasn't a roster spot available when the hamstring healed. Dickerson had been playing in Triple-A Sacramento and appeared to be finding his swing; he had two doubles and a homer on Tuesday night.

Dickerson returns in time for a series at Coors Field, where he is a career .420 hitter with four homers and six doubles in 50 at-bats. With the Giants facing three right-handed starters this weekend, Dickerson should see plenty of at-bats in his return.

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