In a move about 90 minutes before the first pitch of Saturday’s game against the Angels, the Dodgers announced that they have recalled catcher Keibert Ruiz after placing catcher Will Smith on the injured list with neck inflammation.
Smith’s move to the injured list is retroactive to August 13.
The 22-year-old Ruiz will be available immediately. His next appearance will be his major league debut. The Venezuelan born backstop has been with the Dodgers’ organization five seasons, hitting a combined .299 (430-for-1580) with 29 homers and 199 RBI through five different levels. Last season, he split his time between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, batting a combined .261 (82-for-314) with six homers and 34 RBI.
Ruiz was originally signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 20, 2014. For his big league debut, he will wear uniform No. 25.
With his former battery-mate Dustin May on the mound in the series finale, it is presumed that Ruiz might garner his first start as early as Sunday afternoon.
Although we’ve profiled Ruiz extensively over the years, we detailed his recent progress as recently as January.
Smith, 25, will make his first career trip to the injured list. In 14 games with the Dodgers this season, he was batting .188 (6-for-32) with two homers and eight RBI. He made his Major League debut last season, playing in 54 games, batting .253 (43-for-170) with 15 homers and 42 RBI.
The Louisville native was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the first round of the 2016 First Year Player Draft out of Louisville.
Saturday’s lineup vs. lefty Andrew Heaney:
- Betts RF
- Seager SS
- Turner DH
- Pollock CF
- Bellinger 1B
- Taylor LF
- Muncy 3B
- Hernandez 2B
- Barnes C
- (Buehler)
First pitch is slated for 6:40 p.m. Los Angeles time.
(Juan Dorado furnished some information provided in this report)
Supposedly Ruiz is set to catch May tomorrow. They have history in the minors over a few years and it’s a day game following a night game so everything looks good for Kaybear’s debut.
Did they name him after “Bear1”? 🙂
If our Bear can play the guitar both right and left handed then I would say yes.
This could be a blessing in disguise. We get a small look at Ruiz now to plan for the future. Pretty soon AF will have to decide which guy he wants as his permanent starting catcher, Smith or Ruiz, and then most likely trade the other to restock the farm system. All this could be for nothing as soon as Cartaya is ready to go, he seems like he’s going to be the best of the bunch.
That’s the way I’ve seen it for the last year or so. Cartaya’s over there at the big league training site at only 19 years old. He could probably be an effective catcher in Double-A right now, I bet.
No doubt. He’s more than capable of playing at AA defensively. I like Ruiz but I like Smith’s defense more and Ruiz would bring more in trade. I think you do it if you find the right deal.
You could certainly get something worthwhile for Ruiz but I think his trade value has dipped a bit over the past couple of years. One good year at AAA could bring it right back up but I don’t think he’ll get enough at bats this year to prove much.
I can play guitar with both hands, but that is an expensive hobby since you need a lefty guitar to do it. I write right handed, eat right handed, I kicked when I played football with my right foot, but I throw, bowl, and bat from the left side. I right now play guitar right handed, but have been thinking of getting a lefty guitar because the arthritis in my left hand is such that chording a guitar can be painful and the hand is susceptible to really painful cramps. Nice job by the pen tonight when Buehler once again could not get past the 5th inning. You would think after 4 starts he would be improving, Not so much.
Glad to hear you can play guitar with both hands Bear. That makes up for me, because I can’t play guitar with either hand. 🙂
Nice victory last night. The kind of game we would normally lose against the Angels.