Phillies Former Players Heading to 2016 MLB Playoffs
By John Town
Carlos Ruiz has done little since joining the Dodgers, but still provides playoff experience behind the plate.
While the Dodgers have used Utley plenty this year, Carlos Ruiz has played little for Los Angeles since the August 25 trade. In the month since, Ruiz has just 30 plate appearances in 11 games. Overall, he has been replacement-level for L.A.
In exchange for Ruiz, the Phillies received longtime Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis. Ellis has played well since joining the Phillies, slashing .286/.355/.500 in ten games in pinstripes.
Since Ruiz is doing little with the Dodgers, many fans disapprove of the trade. It’s hard to disagree with them, as Ellis was a fan favorite and Ruiz hasn’t fulfilled the offensive role the team promised he would.
Carlos Ruiz has not done anything for the Dodgers since he came over. Was the AJ Ellis trade a good idea?
— Dodgers Fan Zone (@dodgersmlbzone) September 20, 2016
Despite Ellis being a clubhouse favorite, the Dodgers welcomed Ruiz with open arms. Ruiz told JP Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News that the team accepted him in just “two or three days”.
Even if Ruiz sees limited playing time with the Dodgers in the playoffs, he can help guide their star catcher, Yasmani Grandal, through a grinding playoff run. Every pitch matters in October, and Ruiz could be very valuable coaching Grandal from the backup catcher spot.