Ruiz went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 10-9 win over Atlanta.
Ruiz plated two runs with a ground-rule double in the first and added an RBI-single an inning later as part of his fifth multi-hit effort over the last six games. During that span, the 25-year-old went 13-for-27 while striking out only twice. Ruiz finishes with a slash line of .260/.308/.409 with 18 home runs, 67 RBI, 55 runs scored and a 31:58 BB:K over 562 plate appearances. Though he remains in a rebuilding Nationals' lineup, Ruiz's ability to make contact along the increased power he displayed this season gives him a nice floor heading into 2024.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Scores three times in win
Rotowire
Ruiz went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two additional runs in Friday's 10-6 win over Atlanta.
Ruiz extend his hit streak to five games with a single in the fourth inning, then kicked off the scoring in the Nationals' three-run sixth inning with his 18th home run of the season. The young backstop has rebounded from a slow start to the season to emerge as a low-end No. 1 catcher or high-end No. 2 catcher in most 12-team mixed leagues -- roughly in line with how he had been valued heading into the season. He's hitting .291 in the second half and has provided nine of his 18 home runs and 32 of his 63 RBI since the All-Star break.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Three hits in nightcap
Rotowire
Ruiz went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and one run scored in an 8-5 loss to Atlanta in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader.
Ruiz went 6-for-40 (.150) over his previous 10 games before Sunday. The catcher has been noticeably better in the second half of the campaign, batting .284 since the All-Star break after hitting just .226 in the first half. He's at a .251/.301/.397 slash line with 17 home runs, 62 RBI, 50 runs scored and one stolen base through 539 plate appearances overall.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Sitting for matinee
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup for Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader versus Atlanta, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz was never likely to start both games of Sunday's twin bill, and he'll take a seat for the matinee. Drew Millas will work behind the plate in Game 1 with Ruiz likely to start the nightcap.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: On bench Sunday
Rotowire
Ruiz is out of the lineup Sunday versus the Brewers.
Ruiz will get a breather Sunday after playing in Saturday's night game. In his two games played versus the Brewers in the series, he has gone 1-for-9. Drew Millas gets the start at catcher and will bat seventh.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Not in lineup Wednesday
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup Wednesday at Pittsburgh.
Drew Millas will catch and bat seventh for the visiting Nationals. Ruiz tallied a single and a run scored in Tuesday's loss to the Pirates and is sitting on an eight-game hitting streak. He also has a nine-game on-base streak.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz isn't in the Nationals' lineup Saturday against Miami, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz will catch a breather Saturday after going 3-for-20 with a homer and three RBI across his last six games. Riley Adams will fill in for Ruiz behind the plate, batting seventh.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Back in action Monday
Rotowire
Ruiz (head) will start at catcher and bat cleanup in Monday's game against the Blue Jays, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Though the Nationals called up Drew Millas from Triple-A Rochester to give the team a third catcher on the 26-man active roster, Ruiz will be able to resume duties behind the dish Monday after not starting in either of the past two contests and not catching at all in the previous four contests. Riley Adams will head back to the bench after serving as the Nationals' starting catcher each of the past four games while Ruiz experienced a bout of lightheadness after taking a foul tip to his catcher's mask last Wednesday.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Expected back Monday
Rotowire
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Ruiz (head) will likely return to the lineup Monday in Toronto, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz has been experiencing a bit of lightheadedness since taking a foul tip off his catcher's mask Wednesday, but he has been cleared of a concussion. Riley Adams will make a fourth straight start at catcher for the Nationals in Sunday's series finale at Miami.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Out again Sunday
Rotowire
Ruiz (head) remains out of the lineup Sunday at Miami.
Ruiz took a foul tip off his catcher's mask Wednesday and may still be feeling the effects, though he went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in his return to action Friday. Riley Adams will get another start at catcher for the Nationals in Sunday's series finale against the Marlins.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz isn't in the Nationals' lineup for Saturday's game against Miami.
Ruiz went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in his return to the lineup Friday, and he'll get another breather Saturday. Riley Adams will get the nod behind the dish and bat seventh.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Returns to lineup
Rotowire
Ruiz (head) is starting as Washington's designated hitter and batting fourth Friday against Miami, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Lightheadedness kept Ruiz from playing in Thursday's game against the Yankees, but he appears to be feeling well enough to play Friday. The 25-year-old has collected a hit in 10 of his last 11 games and is slashing .372/.426/.651 with three homers and nine RBI in that span.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Out due to lightheadedness
Rotowire
Ruiz is out of the lineup Thursday versus the Yankees due to lightheadedness, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz took a foul tip off his catcher's mask in the Nationals' blowout loss to New York on Wednesday and was feeling the effects of it Thursday morning. There's no word yet as to whether he'll have to be placed in concussion protocol. Riley Adams is starting behind the dish and batting seventh in Thursday's matinee game at Yankee Stadium.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Gets breather Thursday
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup Thursday against the Yankees.
Riley Adams will start at catcher and bat seventh for the Nationals as they wrap up this three-game set with a matinee tilt in New York. Ruiz went 2-for-7 with two singles in the first two games of the series.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz isn't in the Nationals' lineup Saturday against the Phillies, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
After getting on base in all four of his plate appearances Friday, Ruiz will get a breather Saturday. Riley Adams will take over behind the dish and bat sixth in Ruiz's place.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: On base four times Thursday
Rotowire
Ruiz went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Thursday's win over the Red Sox.
The backstop extended his hitting streak to seven games with the big performance, a stretch in which he's batting .464 (13-for-28) with two doubles, three homers, seven RBI, eight runs and a 3:1 BB:K. Ruiz has taken a big step forward as a hitter in his second full season with the Nationals, posting a .741 OPS with 15 homers in 102 contests, but the 25-year-old switch hitter may not have hit his ceiling yet.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
At a position with so many up-and-comers, Ruiz was dismissed as an also-ran at the start of the season, but suffice it to say the dynamic has changed. His appeal seemed limited to points leagues at first given that his only strength was his exceptional contact skills (Luis Arraez is the only other qualifying batter with a strikeout rate less than 10 percent), but he's begun to impact the ball in a way that isn't reflected in his low exit velocity readings, homering for the fourth time in nine games Wednesday and the 15th time overall. Really, it's his average exit velocity that falls short, which may be a byproduct of him putting so many balls in play. His max exit velocity is 60th percentile, and it's worth noting he hit 21 homers in his last minor-league season. At this point, Ruiz seems preferable to Cal Raleigh or Daulton Varsho, even.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Clubs walk-off homer
Rotowire
Ruiz went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Oakland.
After failing to reach safely in any of his first four at-bats, Ruiz led off the bottom of the ninth and delivered a game-winning solo homer off Lucas Erceg on the first pitch of the frame. The long ball was Ruiz's 13th of the campaign and marked his second in as many games. The backstop is batting 11-for-30 (.367) with five RBI and six runs scored in his last eight appearances.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Swats 12th homer
Rotowire
Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Phillies.
After socking a solo shot off Zack Wheeler in the second inning of the matinee, Ruiz was back behind the plate for the nightcap, finishing 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. The switch-hitting catcher snapped a 16-game homer drought with the long ball, but since the All-Star break he's slashing an impressive .316/.369/.500 over 84 plate appearances with three of his 12 home runs on the season.
... See More... See Less
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Resting Monday
Rotowire
Ruiz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz's absence from the lineup doesn't appear to be anything more than a rest day, considering that he made three starts (two at catcher, one at designated hitter) during the Nationals' series sweep of the Reds over the weekend. Riley Adams will step in for Ruiz behind the dish Monday.
