Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Agrees to long-term extension
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Ruiz and the Nationals have agreed to an eight-year extension that could be worth up to $50 million, Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post reports.
The contract reportedly includes two club options at the end of the deal. It will buy out two-pre arbitration seasons plus three arbitration years and then three seasons of free agency. The 24-year-old backstop was one of the key players dealt to Washington in the Trea Turner/Max Scherzer blockbuster, and prior to a season-ending groin injury last September, he slashed .251/.313/.360 with seven homers, six steals, 33 runs and 36 RBI through 112 games. Ruiz should be the everyday backstop for the foreseeable future with the Nationals.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Likely done for season
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Ruiz (groin), who was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, will be shut down for the next three weeks and is unlikely to return this season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz landed on the shelf earlier Friday with a testicular contusion after being struck by a foul ball, and it appears the injury will bring a premature end to his 2022 campaign. The 24-year-old ranks second in the league in games caught (106) this season and has a .251/.313/.360 slash line with seven home runs, 36 RBI and six stolen bases in 433 plate appearances. Ruiz could technically return during the final week of the season, but there's no reason for the last-place Nationals to rush him back for only a couple games. Riley Adams and Tres Barrera should split time at catcher down the stretch for Washington.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Lands on injured list
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Ruiz was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a testicular contusion, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
The 24-year-old was taken to the hospital after being struck in the groin by a foul ball Thursday, and he'll be unavailable for at least the next week and a half. It's unclear if Ruiz is expected to be sidelined beyond the 10-day minimum. Riley Adams is likely to step up to be Washington's primary catcher in the meantime, and Tres Barrera should also see some work.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Gets Wednesday off
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game agains the Cardinals.
Riley Adams checks in behind the plate while Ruiz gets a well-deserved rest after catching each of the past five games. Ruiz produced six hits and two walks over the first four of those starts before an 0-for-4 showing in Tuesday's 4-1 loss.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Three-hit day Sunday
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Ruiz went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's victory over the Mets.
Ruiz's entered the game mired in a 10-game stretch where he hit .235 with two runs and one RBI. The young catcher broke out of that slump in a big way, accounting for four of the Nationals' seven runs on the day. Sunday's effort is also his first multi-hit game since Aug. 19, and he is now slashing .250/.310/.354 in 421 plate appearances this season.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Resting Thursday
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
The Nationals and Athletics are wrapping up their series with a day game, so Ruiz will get a breather after starting the past two nights. Ruiz is entrenched as Washington's No. 1 backstop, but he could still receive more rest days down the stretch with the Nationals having added a third catcher in Tres Barrera to the roster as one of their September call-ups.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Gets breather in series finale
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
Ruiz will take a seat for the third consecutive Sunday while Riley Adams receives a turn behind the plate. The 24-year-old will put a four-game hitting streak on hold while he heads to the bench.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Rests Sunday
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.
Ruiz will be getting a breather after going 3-for-13 with a double, two walks, two RBI, two runs and a stolen base while starting at catcher in each of the Nationals' past four games. Tres Barrera will check in for Ruiz behind the dish Sunday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Productive in win
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Ruiz went 2-for-2 with two walks, an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 6-3 win over the Padres.
Ruiz got aboard four times, which included his third multi-hit effort in August. Through 18 games this month, he's gone 13-for-55 (.236) with four extra-base hits. The catcher lifted his slash line back up to .246/.311/.354 through 97 contests, and he's added six steals, six home runs, 32 RBI and 28 runs scored this year in a starting role.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Returns to lineup
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Ruiz (head/knee) is starting Wednesday against the Cubs, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz was out of the lineup Tuesday after he took multiple foul tips in his catcher's mask and one in his right knee Monday. However, he appeared off the bench in Tuesday's extra-innings loss to the Cubs and went 1-for-2 with a walk. He's starting behind the plate and batting fifth Wednesday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Not 100 percent
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Ruiz was struck by multiple foul tips in his catcher's mask and once in his right knee during Monday's 5-4 win over the Cubs and won't start Tuesday as a result, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Manager Dave Martinez said Ruiz isn't exhibiting any concussion symptoms, so he should have a chance to return to action Wednesday. After catching six times in the previous nine days, Ruiz probably would have benefited from a day off even if he wasn't roughed up Monday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Resting Sunday
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Ruiz is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com.
Ruiz does not sit much, but he will get a day off with the Nationals playing a day game following a night game. Tres Barrera will take over behind the plate.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Gets breather after big game
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz will get a well-deserved rest with an afternoon game on tap for the series finale in Chicago after he started behind the dish while going 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, a walk and four RBI in Tuesday's 6-5 win. Tres Barrera will catch for starting pitcher Josiah Gray on Wednesday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Two homers in win
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Ruiz went 2-for-3 with two homers, four RBI and a walk in a 6-5 win Tuesday against the Cubs.
Ruiz took Marcus Stroman deep twice, launching a solo shot in the second and adding a three-run blast in the fourth. Last season he hit 24 combined homers between Triple-A and the majors, but the power stroke has been absent this year until recently. He has three homers in his last seven contests after knocking just three balls out of the park in his first 81 games. For the season, he has a .247/.307/.359 line.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Takes seat Saturday
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Ruiz is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies.
Tres Barrera will step in behind the plate to catch for starter Patrick Corbin. Ruiz has not lived up to expectations this season -- his first full season in the Nationals organization -- after coming over from the Dodgers in the Trea Turner-Max Scherzer deal. However, the Nationals have completely torn it down, and they have every incentive to play Ruiz as much as he can handle down the stretch.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Hits solo shot
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Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's loss against the Mets.
Ruiz launched a solo blast in the bottom of the ninth inning to kick off the scoring for the Nationals. It was his fourth home run of the season and his first since July 1. The catcher is 3-for-12 to start August after batting .230 in July. For the season he has a .655 OPS in 82 games.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Receives Sunday off
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
Ruiz started the first two games of the series and will take a breather in the finale after going 2-for-8. Tres Barrera will start behind the plate and bat ninth Sunday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Not in Wednesday's lineup
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Ruiz isn't starting Wednesday against the Dodgers.
Ruiz is getting a day off after he went 4-for-11 with a double, two RBI, a run and a stolen base over the last three games. Tres Barrera is starting behind the plate and batting ninth.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Notches fifth steal
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Ruiz went 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a stolen base in Monday's 4-1 win over the Dodgers.
Ruiz was plunked in the eighth inning and stole second, but he wasn't able to come around to score. This was the 24-year-old's fifth steal in six attempts this year, and his first successful theft since June 29 -- he was caught stealing Sunday in a win over the Diamondbacks. The catcher is slashing .249/.313/.347 with three home runs, 22 RBI, 23 runs scored and 18 doubles through 305 plate appearances.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Perfect at plate
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Ruiz went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Diamondbacks.
Ruiz had just one hit in his previous five games, but he was at the center of the Nationals' offense Sunday. He was directly involved in three of their four run-scoring plays, including a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning that stood as the game-winning hit. The catcher has batted .241 (14-for-58) in July, and that's not far off from his .252/.313/.350 slash line for the season. He's added three home runs, 22 RBI, 23 runs scored and four stolen bases in 301 plate appearances, and he should continue to see a majority of the starts behind the dish over backup Tres Barrera.
