Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Out of lineup to begin twin bill
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Rockies, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
The 26-year-old was never likely to start both games of the twin bill and will take a seat for the matinee. Ruiz has gone 1-for-13 over his past three games but has a .791 OPS for the season, and he should be back behind the plate for Sunday's nightcap.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Receiving rest Thursday
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Ruiz is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.
Ruiz will receive a breather for just the second time all season while the Nationals and Pirates wrap up their series with a day game after a night game. Riley Adams will check in behind the plate, forming a battery with starting pitcher Trevor Williams.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Three more hits Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in Saturday's loss to the Marlins.
The backstop extended his current hitting streak to six games, and he's hit safely in 12 of 13 contests to kick off 2025. That's resulted in an eye-popping .370/.442/.543 slash line for Ruiz with two homers, nine runs and 10 RBI as he shoulders a heavy early workload for the Nats.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Getting rest Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
An 0-for-4 performance Friday put an end to Ruiz's six-game hitting streak to begin the season, and he'll now get a breather against Eduardo Rodriguez and the D-backs. Riley Adams will start at catcher instead and bat ninth.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Goes deep in loss
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Ruiz went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in a 11-6 loss to the Phillies on Saturday.
The catcher hit his second homer in as many games after taking a changeup from Jesus Luzardo the other way 414 feet to left-center field. The blast gave Washington an early 2-0 lead that it would ultimately not be able to hold. Ruiz hit 31 home runs in the previous two seasons as Washington's primary catcher, but he's showing more power early in 2025.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Blasts solo homer in loss
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Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.
Ruiz got the Nationals into the scoring column with a fifth-inning solo blast off Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. The switch-hitting backstop excelled this spring while batting .289 with three homers, 11 RBI, and two stolen bases over 45 Grapefruit League at-bats, and Ruiz should see plenty of action in 2025 as Washington's primary catcher.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Launches two homers Thursday
Rotowire
Ruiz went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
Neither blast came against a particularly noteworthy pitcher -- he took Tekoah Roby deep for a two-run shot in the fourth inning before lofting a solo homer off Leonardo Taveras in the sixth -- but it was still a strong showing from Ruiz. The 26-year-old backstop may have worn down last season, stumbling to a .229/.260/.359 slash line with 13 homers in 127 regular-season games, but the Nats made no move to add a backup in the offseason who could potentially take some of the workload off him.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Checks out of lineup
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ruiz is getting a breather after starting each of the previous five contests (four at catcher, one at designated hitter). Drew Millas will catch and bat seventh for the Nationals.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Taking seat Wednesday
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Ruiz is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Mets, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Ruiz will get a routine day off after starting in each of the last four games. Drew Millas will handle catching duties for Washington in the series finale.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Getting breather
Rotowire
Ruiz is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Marlins.
After catching four straight games, Ruiz will get some rest Friday. Instead, Drew Millas will form a battery with DJ Herz. Ruiz is 7-for-21 (.333) with five doubles in his last five games.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Three hits, homer vs. Marlins
Rotowire
Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 6-2 win over Miami.
After going 0-for-19 in his previous five games, Ruiz snapped his cold spell with a huge game Tuesday, picking up three hits including a sixth-inning homer off Max Meyer, his 13th of the year. Ruiz boosted his slash line to .222/.253/.363 with 47 RBI and 42 runs scored across 403 plate appearances this season.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Idle Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz isn't in the Nationals' lineup for Saturday's game versus the Cubs.
Ruiz will get a breather Saturday after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts during a loss in Friday's series opener. Drew Millas will catch instead for southpaw DJ Herz while batting eighth.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Getting day off
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Rockies, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
It looks to be a routine day off for Ruiz. Riley Adams will get the start versus lefty Austin Gomber, marking the second time in as many games that he's been in there against a southpaw.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Belts 12th homer
Rotowire
Ruiz went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Phillies.
The catcher got the Nationals on the board in the fourth inning by driving a Taijuan Walker pitch deep to right field. Ruiz is putting together a strong month of August, slashing .283/.321/.547 through 14 games with four of his 12 homers on the season, as well as eight runs and nine RBI.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Resting Saturday
Rotowire
Ruiz is absent from Saturday's lineup against Philadelphia.
Ruiz will get a breather Saturday after going 3-for-8 with two solo home runs in the first two games of the series. Riley Adams will start behind home plate and bat seventh.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Belts two homers in loss
Rotowire
Ruiz went 2-for-4 with two solo homers in Thursday's loss to the Phillies.
Ruiz launched a solo shot off Zack Wheeler in the fifth inning to put Washington on the board and then came right back with a second homer off Orion Kerkering in the seventh, though his monster effort would fall well short as Philadelphia cruised to a 13-3 win. It marked the first two-homer game for the catcher this season, and he's batting .295 in August with three homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored. Ruiz has also hit safely in three straight games.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Day off Wednesday
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Giants, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Ruiz was due for a day off after catching each of the previous eight games. Riley Adams will be behind the plate for the Nationals on Wednesday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Back in lineup Friday
Rotowire
Ruiz (groin) will start at catcher and bat sixth in Friday's game versus the Brewers, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.
Ruiz had to depart the Nationals' last game on Wednesday in Arizona with a groin injury, but he won't wind up missing any starts. The switch-hitting catcher hit four home runs in July, doubling his season total.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Leaves loss early
Rotowire
Ruiz exited Wednesday's loss to the Diamondbacks in the fourth inning due to a groin injury, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
A pitch from MacKenzie Gore bounced in the dirt and caught Ruiz in a sensitive area, and the catcher was replaced behind the plate by Riley Adams. Per Golden, manager Dave Martinez says he's concerned about Ruiz, but the issue doesn't seem to be as serious as the similar injury that cost the backstop the final month of the 2022 season. The Nationals are off Thursday, but Ruiz may not be ready to return when the team begins a home series against the Brewers on Friday.
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Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Resting for series finale
Rotowire
Ruiz is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Cardinals.
Ruiz will get a breather Sunday after going 2-for-11 across the first two games of the series while hitting a three-run home run in Saturday's 14-3 win. Riley Adams will start at catcher and bat eighth.
